


Stalked (WayHaught AU)

by Danvers47



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Established Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, F/F, F/M, Lesbian Nicole Haught, Lesbian Sex, Minor Wynonna Earp/Doc Holliday, Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-08-02
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:27:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 29,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25249903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Danvers47/pseuds/Danvers47
Summary: In this WayHaught AU, Nicole is an ER doctor and Waverly is a psychiatrist who is able to see people's auras. Nicole helps Waverly overcome her tragic childhood past. Waverly helps Nicole find out who is stalking her.
Relationships: Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp & Nicole Haught, Wynonna Earp/Doc Holliday
Comments: 101
Kudos: 248





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So originally this story was written with different characters. As I continued to work on it, I realized it would make a great WayHaught AU (at least in my mind). It's a little different from the normal fanfics I've read. I hope you enjoy it.

Dr. Waverly Earp walked up to the nurses’ desk in the ER with her bag of Chinese food and was greeted by a dark haired, blue eyed nurse named Wynonna. “Hey, Doc,” she greeted. “Whatcha got there?” she asked taking a peek in the bag.

Waverly answered “Chinese. And it’s not for you, Wynonna,” swatting the other woman’s hand away.

Savoring the wonderful aromas sifting through the air, Wynonna moaned. “Fine. But I bet I know who it’s for,” Wynonna replied back winking at the shorter woman.

Smiling shyly, she blushed. “Yeah, it’s for Nicole. I knew she wouldn’t eat. She would just grab a snack."

“You two are so sweet it’s nauseous. You guys make the _Notebook_ look bleak. And those googly eyes. Jeez. Do you guys practice those or are they just natural?” Wynonna asked causing Waverly to blush more.

“Really, Wynonna?” Waverly scolded playfully.

“Ok, fine. She’s finishing up with a patient. She shouldn’t be long.”

“Is anyone using the lounge?”

“I don’t think so. Most everyone has already had their break or dinner,” Wynonna said distracted by one of the orderlies, Doc Holliday.

“That your new boytoy, Wynonna?” Waverly giggled as she grabbed the bag and headed toward the lounge.

Wynonna looked shocked at the doctor’s statement. “What? Pffttt,” she swatted the air.

“Hey, will you let Nicole know where I am when she is finished?”

“Only if I get the leftovers,” Wynonna bargained.

“We’ll see,” Waverly answered as she headed off down the hallway. In the lounge, she found a table, set out the food, and grabbed some drinks from the vending machine. Just as she was finishing up, she heard the door opened. It was her girlfriend, Dr. Nicole Haught. “Hey, you,” she said walking over the Waverly and kissing her cheek.

“Hey! Good timing,” Waverly answered pointing at the food.

“What’s all this?” Nicole asked as she sat down in the chair Waverly had pulled out for her.

“This is dinner….because…I knew you probably hadn’t taken the time to eat a decent meal with your crazy schedule this week.” As they began to eat, Waverly continued, “And more importantly, I missed you.”

“Awwww,” Nicole smiled. “Well, thank you! And, you’re right. I haven’t eaten well this week. And I really love that you brought my favorite.”

As they ate, Waverly began to get feel nervous. She had a surprise for Nicole but was so afraid her girlfriend wouldn’t like it. Although she was a psychiatrist, Waverly had her own demons to fight. She was much better at dealing with other people’s problems than her own issues. It was much easier telling other people what to do than follow your own advice.

Nicole noticed the brunette was picking at her food. “Not good?”

“Huh?” Realizing Nicole had caught her distraction. She quickly responded, “Oh, no, it’s fine.”

“You seemed far away.”

“Sorry,” Waverly apologized.

Laying her fork down, Nicole reached across the table and took Waverly’s hand. “Hey, what is it?” she encouraged.

Sighing , Waverly tried to gather her courage and tell Nicole about the surprise she’d planned. “It’s nothing bad,” she assured the red head.

“Okay, but your shaking, Waves,” Nicole said as she held Waverly’s hand tighter.

“I’m, uh…..just nervous….that you….uh…won’t like it.”

“Like what?” Nicole asked curiously beginning to understand that whatever the brunette was trying to say was something very important to her.

“Like…uh….” Waverly took a deep breath, “I sort of planned a weekend get-a-way for---us---like you and me.”

“Really?” Nicole smiled and rubbed her thumb over Waverly’s hand.

“Yeah,” Waverly said.

“Where? When?” Nicole’s excitement was beginning to show.

Seeing her excitement, Waverly went into more detail about her plans. “Well, um, Wynonna got me a copy of your schedule and helped to make sure you didn’t have plans for the weekend.”

“So that’s what she’s been up to,” Nicole said.

“Yeah. She’s a sneaky squirrel.” Waverly giggled. “Anyway, we’ll leave Friday after your shift. I’ll drive us into the city. I have reservations at the Hyatt for adjoining rooms, aaannndd….” Waverly reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out two tickets…”two tickets to Hamilton.”

Nicole grabbed the tickets and squealed. “Are you serious!?”

“So, I take it you like the surprise?” her girlfriend smiled.

Nicole grabbed Waverly’s hand and pulled her over into her lap. Pulling her face down for a kiss, she whispered, “I love it!”

Their lips met like soft feathers floating through the sky. Waverly wrapped her arms around Nicole’s shoulders weaving her fingers into her short auburn curls. Nicole wrapped one arm around Waverly’s waist while the other held her head deepening the kiss. Neither heard the door open but they did hear Wynonna. “Yo, PDA! Haught Doc, you’re needed in the ER. I tried paging you. Now I know why you didn’t hear it,” Wynonna said as she turned to retreat back out the door.

“Hi, Wynonna. Thanks!” Nicole said from behind Waverly. Returning her attention back to the woman on her lap, the red head double checked the plans. “So, Friday, huh?’

“Yeah. I’ll pick you up after your shift,” Waverly replied still playing with the curls of Nicole’s hair.

“I’ll be ready,” Nicole said as she helped Waverly stand and gave her another kiss before leaving the lounge.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly whisks Nicole away for a weekend get away. But, the weekend doesn't go quite as planned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter .....well it's kinda personal as I finally described something that happened to me as a kid. So I guess I finally faced my demons through Waverly. 
> 
> WARNING! There is a brief, but not graphic, description of pedophilia.

The rest of the week was fairly uneventful, but still Friday couldn’t come soon enough for both women. They talked each night finalizing their plans and discussing the needed attire. As Friday evening rolled around, Waverly arrived at the nurses’ desk just as Nicole walked down the hall from the lounge with a suitcase and dress bag.

“Ready?” Waverly asked taking the dress bag.

“Yes!” Nicole replied before placing a brief kiss on the brunette’s lips. “Let’s get out of here before I’m paged again.”

Once in the Waverly’s red Jeep, she stopped at a drive-through before hitting the interstate. She was glad she had gotten some caffeine because not only was it a 4 hour drive, but Nicole had already dozed off in the passenger seat.

It was around 11 p.m. when they arrived at the Hyatt and almost 12 a.m. before getting settled in their rooms. Waverly was hanging up the last of her clothes when Nicole plopped down on the bed and announced she was hungry. Waverly called down for room service and asked for a fruit and cheese tray be sent up. Ten minutes later, the tray arrived. Waverly tipped the valet and crawled into bed beside Nicole.

Waverly, exhausted from the long drive, leaned against the headboard and watched Nicole pop grapes and Gouda cheese into her mouth. As she watched the red head, she began to wonder how she had found someone so beautiful both inside and out. She wondered what the weekend would hold for the two. Nicole realized that Waverly was watching her with sleepy eyes. “You’re exhausted.”

With a sleepy smile, she agreed.

“I’ll go and let you get some rest,” Nicole said picking up the tray to leave.

Waverly quickly reached to capture Nicole’s arm. “Don’t you dare go.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” she said drowsily.

Nicole set the tray back on the bed and leaned against the headboard popping two more grapes into her mouth. “Stay right here,” Waverly mumbled as she curled into Nicole’s side, throwing an arm over her waist, and laying her head on her chest.

Nicole wrapped an arm around Waverly pulling her close. “Rest, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” she whispered as she felt her girlfriend’s body relax and sleep took over.

_____________________________________________________________________

It was 4 a.m. when Nicole was startled awake by the sheets being jerked away and the food tray hitting the floor. Sitting up trying to get her bearings, Nicole realized Waverly was not in the bed. Turning on the lamp, she looked around the room and found Waverly pressed against the wall clutching the sheets tightly to her chest. Her breathing was hard and fast and her eyes were wild and staring. A night terror, Nicole deduced. She had to be careful trying to wake the woman quivering before her.

Nicole crawled across the bed and slid into the floor in front of Waverly. She tried to push farther away from the woman coming near her, but the wall stopped her. When Nicole tried to reach for Waverly, she started shaking her head furiously and yelling, “Get away from me! STOP! I don’t want to!”

Nicole pulled back her hand and tried to gently call out to Waverly, “Waves, baby, it’s me, Nicole. I’m not going to hurt you, baby. It’s a dream…a nightmare.”

“Nicole,” Waverly whispered and reached for her girlfriend.

“Yeah, baby, it’s me,” she said taking the girl’s offered hand thinking she had awoken.

“NO! NO! You have to leave,” ushered Waverly earnestly. “They’ll get you too!”

“Baby, who?” Who will get me?” Nicole questioned now realizing she was still in the nightmare.

“Them,” she whispered.

Nicole’s mind was racing of what to do. Maybe if she coaxed her back into bed, she’d calm back down.

“Hey, Waves, let’s try to hide so they won’t be able to find us,” Nicole suggested.

“Yeah, hide,” Waverly said looking around the room.

Nicole took Waverly’s hand and climbed up the side of the bed. She rolled over to face the wall and pulled Waverly tight against her body. She covered them both with Waverly’s bonus blanket. By the time she had finished, Waverly’s body had relaxed, her breathing had regulated, and she had returned to peaceful slumber.

____________________________________________________________________________

The morning brought rays of sunshine pouring through the large window and the smell of bacon and eggs. Waverly opened her eyes to find Nicole tipping the valet who was blushing and avoiding looking in the brunette’s direction. When the valet left, she sat up and greeted Nicole, “Hey.”

“Good morning,” Nicole responded smiling. “I hope you don’t mind me ordering breakfast.”

“No, of course not. It smells delicious,” Waverly stated as she unraveled herself from the bedding. Once untangled, she headed to the bathroom and returned to find Nicole sitting at the small table in front of the windows.

“Sorry about last night,” Waverly said as she sat down with her plate and took a sip of coffee.

Nicole was shocked to hear that. Most people who have night terrors don’t remember them. “It’s okay,” Nicole said somewhat confused.

“I’m a terrible host. I invite you on a weekend getaway and I wind up falling asleep.”

She didn’t remember, thought Nicole. “It’s fine. You were exhausted. Plus,” she said reaching for her girlfriend’s hand, “we have ALL weekend.”

“That we do,” Waverly smiled.

As they finished breakfast, they planned the day for sight-seeing. Although both had attended the university, Nicole had lived in an apartment off-campus while Waverly live on-campus. With Nicole being more familiar with the hotspots, she led the way for a day of exploration.

They returned mid-afternoon to allow for plenty of time to ready themselves for the evening. Each closed the adjoining doorway to hide their finished product for their elegant evening. Each agreed to text when ready so there wouldn’t be an early reveal.

It was nearing 5 p.m. when they texted one another. Standing in front of the adjacent doorway, each opened the door seeing the other. Neither said a word as they stood staring at one another. Nicole noticed Waverly had on a slim, tight fitting, low cut black dress with black heels. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a type of curly ponytail with ringlets hanging loosely around her face. Nicole found it difficult to breath as she allowed herself to slowly admire her girlfriend’s body. She licked her lips as she ran her eyes along Waverly’s neck imagining herself finding that one spot that she knew would send her over the edge. And, those legs. Although Waverly wasn’t tall, her legs were well toned and looked amazingly smooth. So smooth Nicole wanted to run her hands along those legs to find her way under Waverly’s dress.

As Nicole’s mind wondered, Waverly stood in awe at Nicole. She was dressed in an emerald green off the shoulder dress that silhouetted her curves and accented her messy curled auburn hair that Waverly could feel in her fingers. She was glad Nicole wore it natural because if she had anything to do with, her fingers would be in her hair before the night was over if not sooner. Waverly admired Nicole’s athletic body. She was a runner and her long lean legs indicated this.

Finally Waverly finally caught her breath. “WOW!” She moved toward Nicole and skimmed her fingers down her arm to twine their fingers together. “You look absolutely stunning,” she said as she placed a kiss in Nicole’s palm.

“And you, babe, have absolutely taken my breath away,” Nicole said capturing Waverly’s mouth with her own. Just as their kiss deepened, Waverly’s room phone rang. With a moan, Waverly slipped from Nicole’s arms to answer it.

Returning, the shorter woman held out her elbow as an invitation. “Your chariot awaits, Milady.”

“What is this?” she asked looping her arm through Waverly’s.

“You didn’t think I was actually going to drive in this crazy traffic did you? Heck no! I got a limo for the evening,” she said winking at the tall red head.

“Beautiful and smart,” Nicole said smiling and placing another kiss on Waverly’s lips. “You just might be a keeper."

  
As they headed downstairs and walked through the lobby, people stared at the couple, but both ladies were oblivious to the world around them as they were too mesmerized with one another to take notice. In the limo, the driver opened the champagne and closed the privacy window. They enjoyed both on the way to theatre. As bad as they wanted to kiss, however, they refrained so as not to dishevel the hard work of the afternoon.

Again the crowd seemed to stare as the drive escorted each from the limo. Holding hands as they made their way into the building and to their seats. The lighting was dim and romantic as it cascaded the walls in vibrant colors. The railing of the staircase was carved mahogany. As they ascended to find their seats, one of the hostesses offered champagne. Each took a glass and slowly made their way to the main hall. As escort helped them find their seats. There they held hands as they finished their drink.

The play ended around 10 p.m. Maneuvering the crowd to leave took time. Time wasn’t important to the them at the moment. Being together and enjoying the night was their priority. Eventually they made it back to the limo where the driver informed them he had called ahead to the restaurant to warn them of the delay. He also had refilled their glasses. Saturday night in the city meant heavy traffic even at the late hour. They two set in the back and relished in the quiet while sipping their refreshed champagne. When Nicole finished hers, she took Waverly’s and placed them in the holders. Turning to Waverly with a hungry look in her eyes, she captured the brunette’s mouth with her own. It was no feathery kiss. It was a deep, tongue-teasing, lustful one that left both women gasping for breath and wanting more. Nicole moved from Waverly’s mouth to her neck looking for that sensitive spot she had wanted to find earlier. She took her time nibbling, kissing, and tasting a trail along her neck to her shoulder. Waverly leaned her head back offering Nicole better access.

Nicole moved in the seat to straddle Waverly’s lap. She slid the straps of Waverly’s dress down her arms and followed the material with her lips and tongue. Waverly was holding Nicole by her hips when the limp suddenly veered causing Nicole’s knee to slide more solidly between the other woman’s legs. In reflex, Waverly threw Nicole to the side and launched herself across the aisle and into the other seat.

With eyes wide with panic, she began earnestly apologizing. “Oh, god, Nicole, I’m sorry! I’m so very sorry! Are you okay?”

Shaken and confused, Nicole straightened her dress. “Yeah, I’m fine. What…what happened? What was that about? Did I do something wrong?”

“I’m sorry, Nicole,” she repeated with tears filling her eyes. She turned and knocked on the privacy window. When the drive answered, she instructed him to take her back to the hotel. “But, if she wants to go the restaurant, please take her.”

“What!? No, Waves, I’m not going without you!” Nicole declared.

“Whatever you want,” Waverly muttered. As soon as the car stopped, Waverly bolted leaving Nicole to make heads or tails of what the hell just happened.

Once in her room, Nicole found the adjoining door locked. She knocked but heard nothing. She changed and returned to find it still locked. This time knocked and then knocked harder. “Waves, please, let me in,” she begged. No reply. “Please, baby, let me in and we’ll deal with whatever it is….together.” Still nothing. Anger gripped Nicole since being nice wasn’t getting her anywhere. “Damnit, Waverly, open the door!”

It was then she heard the click of the lock, but the door itself, did not open. Nicole slowly turned the knob and opened the door. Looking around she found her girlfriend in the fetal position leaning against the headboard squeezing a pillow as if her life depending on holding it. Nicole's anger quickly dissipated. As Nicole approached the bed, Waverly tensed even more and tried to avoid her.

As much as she wanted to reach out and comfort Waverly, Nicole knew better. After last night’s terrors and now the limo incident, she was afraid Waverly might spiral farther. Instead, she took a softer tone, “Baby, talk to me, please.”

Waverly continued to stare at nothing. “Waves, was it me? Did I do something wrong? Did I go too far?”

There was a reaction. Tears filled Wavelry’s eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. She shook her head no. Nicole decided to go a different route. “Did it have something to do with last night?”

Waverly looked at her in confusion. Nicole continued, “You had a night terror, Waves. Do you remember any of it?”

More tears formed and fell. Nicole continued slowly, “You kept saying someone----they----were going to get you-----us.”

At this point Waverly broke into heavy sobs. Her body shook with heavy breaths and a flood of tears. This time Nicole didn’t stop herself. She climbed into the bed and pulled Waverly against her chest letting Waverly’s heavy sobs rack her body. Nicole’s heart broke for the woman in her arms. As she held the smaller woman closely, she let her own tears fall in anguish.

Eventually, Waverly calmed, but Nicole didn’t let go. She waited hoping her girlfriend would talk about whatever it was haunting her. “I’m sorry,” Waverly finally sniffed. “I’m so sorry!” she repeated more earnestly.

“Waves, please, please, talk to me,” Nicole begged.

“I can’t,” Waverly whispered.

“Can you try?” Nicole encouraged.

Waverly pushed away from Nicole far enough to look in her eyes. She wanted to tell this beautiful, kind, woman who had the biggest heart. She needed to tell her. But, fear stopped her. Waverly was frightened of the consequences once Nicole found out about her past. “I’m afraid,” Waverly admitted.

“Of me?”

“What!? Oh god, no, Nicole. I’d never be afraid of you.” Waverly paused trying to find the right words and the courage to tell the woman in front of her whom she was absolutely crazy about her haunting secret. A secret that had kept her from having a life---a real life.

“It’s more about your reaction, I guess. How you’ll see me,” Waverly confessed.

Nicole had been trying to piece the puzzle together. Afraid she was right but hoping she was wrong, she asked, “Waverly, baby, did someone hurt you?” Waverly nodded.

“Baby, when? Who?” Nicole questioned but not beginning to fit the pieces together.

Dropping her head and working the edges of the pillow case, she muttered, “When I was 10.”

Nicole cringed but stayed silent hoping Waverly would continue.

“It happened three times,” she finally added.

“The same person?”

“No,” Waverly said quietly as she wiped a tear that had escaped down her face.

“Oh, baby,” replied Nicole laying her hand on Waverly’s arm to offer support but trying not to interrupt her fidgeting.

"The first happened in school by a classmate. It started in fourth grade with him following me all the time. I couldn't get away from him. Everywhere I went he was just there." She sniffed and continued. "The teachers all thought it was sweet that I had an admirer. Then in middle school, it got worse. He would follow me like.....basically into the bathroom and just wouldn't leave me alone." Waverly took a ragged breath. "On day at assembly, I had dropped my book. I bent over to get it, and he.....he...ran his hands down the back of my pants and pulled me to him. I was mortified. Nothing like that had ever happened to me before."

"Did anyone see?"

"I'm not sure. I did go to the principal and he was suspended. I'm not sure what happened after that. He just seemed to go away." 

“Not long after that, one night, my parents went out and my grandfather stayed with me. He started asking about my pubic hair and period. It made me really uncomfortable. I started to go to my room and he stopped me. He sat down on the couch beside and….and before I knew what was happening, his hands were all over me…in places….that they shouldn’t have been.”

Tears were again flowing down both women’s faces. Nicole asked if she had told anyone.

“Lot of good it did,” Waverly sneered. “I told my parents. But…you know what they did?” she said finally looking at Nicole with pain on her face. “They asked me what I….me….what I had done to provoke it!” Waverly’s voice cracked in anger. “They made it seem it was my fault! It was all my fault, Nicole, that I got attacked that night.”

Nicole closed her eyes trying to process what Waverly had just said and trying to control the anger that was boiling up inside her. She now understood why Waverly never mentioned her parents. Afraid to find out more, but knowing Waverly needed to keep talking, she prodded, “Who was the other?”

“My best friend’s dad,” Waverly admitted. “It was within a few of months of the others. I was spending the night with her and her sister. Their mom was running errands, so he was with us.” Waverly paused and took a deep shaky breath. She zoned out like she was replaying the night her head. “I had gone to the kitchen to get something to drink. I had gotten my glass from the cabinet and was turning to the sink when he backed me into the corner with his body and blocked me with his arms.”

Tears were flowing and panic was beginning to set in again. Nicole tilted Waverly’s face up to so she could only see Nicole. “Hey, you’re not there. You’re here…..with me.” She laid her forehead against Waverly's hoping to calm her. 

When Waverly’s breathing became calm again, she continued. “He wanted me to go in the laundry room with him. He wanted to show me what it meant to be a man and how it worked.” Looking at Nicole, Waverly admitted that the only thing that saved her that night was her best friend walking around the corner.

“Did you ever tell anyone about him?”

“Years later. After what happened previously, I just didn’t see the point. But the time I did though, it was too late.”

Nicole laid her forehead against Waverly’s. “God, Waves, I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”

“How could you? I’ve never told another soul….until now.”

“No one?”

“No. I’ve never trusted anyone enough to.” Waverly laced her fingers through Nicole’s. “I’ve never met anyone like you, Nicole Haught. Felt about anyone the way I do you. I want to try with you. I want to try IT with you.”

“Waves, have you ever…ya know….had sex?” Nicole asked shyly.

Looking away embarrassed, Waverly confessed she hadn’t. She had tried once in college with a guy, but it didn’t go very well….actually at all. Nicole caressed Waverly’s face and turned her chin up to look at her. “Baby, I’m not that guy. And I’m not in this relationship for the sex.” Grinning mischievously and trying to add some humor to the tense conversation, she added, “It’s a perk, yes, but it is NOT the sole purpose of me being with you.”

Waverly pulled Nicole lips to her own and gently kissed her. She then pulled her forehead against her own and whispered, “Thank you.”

Nicole kissed her forehead and replied, “No, Waves, thank you….for trusting me.”

“You made it easy.”

Waverly pulled away from Nicole and made her way to the bathroom. Before closing the door, she turned around. “Will you stay with me---please? I really don’t want to be alone.”

Smiling back at the red faced, swollen eyed brunette, she answered, “I’m not going anywhere, baby. As long as you want me, I’ll be by your side.”

Relief seemed to wash over Waverly. To ease the tension more, Nicole added, “That is as long as you don’t hog the covers again.”

“I’ll do my best not too,” Waverly smiled and closed the bathroom door.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole helps Waverly overcome her fear of sex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is lighter and there is lots of WayHaught sex.

The rainy dawn found Nicole and Waverly snuggled against one another with limbs intertwined. Hearing the rain splatter against the window woke Waverly. Opening her eyes, she saw Nicole’s sleeping face and felt her arm on her hip. Waverly lay quietly and watched Nicole’s sleeping figure wondering how many others, if any, would have stayed after hearing and experiencing what Nicole did last night. Probably very few. Nicole didn’t run away. She hadn’t gotten angry except when Waverly didn’t unlock the door. Neither did she pity Waverly. Nicole had stayed. These things meant everything to Waverly. If Nicole was willing to try, then so was she. Waverly brushed a strand of red hair back from Nicole’s face and laid her head facing the woman she had come to care so much about.

Finally waking, Nicole opened her eyes to find Waverly watching her and smiling. “Good morning,” Nicole greeted her with a kiss.

“Good morning,” Waverly cooed back.

Giggling, Nicole asked, “What are you doing?”

“Watching my girlfriend sleep beside me,” Waverly answered brushing her fingers through Nicole’s bedhead red mane. “And thinking just how beautiful she is in the mornings,” she added wrapping a strand around her fingers.

Nicole rolled into Waverly pulling her mouth to her own. Unsure of how far to go, but not wanting to hold back either, she slid her tongue along Waverly’s lips to test the waters for permission to proceed. Waverly opened her mouth inviting Nicole to enter and began teasing Nicole’s tongue with her own. They kissed and tasted as sexual tension built. Nicole felt Waverly’s hand slide up her shirt and caress the muscles on her back. Using that as a cue to continue, she did the same to Waverly.

Nicole wanted to be sure though. She didn’t want a repeat of last night. Nicole pulled back gazing into Waverly’s honey hazel eyes. Both were breathing heavily. “Are you sure?” she asked as she kissed the tip of Waverly’s nose.

“I’m more sure than I’ve ever been,” Waverly answered pulling the red heads mouth back to her own.

They went slow, or as slow as was possible. Passion drove them to ecstasy while common sense and caution slowed them down. Waverly was actually the one who made the first move by removing Nicole’s shirt. She slowly unbuttoned the flannel shirt and pushed it open. Before Waverly could slide it off her shoulders, Nicole stopped her. “Waverly,” she said holding the brunette’s small hands, “I don’t want you doing anything you’re not comfortable with.”

“I won’t,” Waverly answered as she moved her hands and gently pushed the shirt from Nicole’s shoulders letting it fall to the bed. Waverly admired the naked torso of the red head. She let her eyes roam down over Nicole’s body. Nicole sat silently letting Waverly take her time and explore. Waverly brought her hand to Nicole’s neck and feathered them down between her breasts. Nicole gasped when the brunette’s small fingers grazed her breast. Waverly took that as a cue that Nicole liked her touch. She continued to trail her fingers down her taunt abs to the top of her jeans. She skimmed her hand to Nicole’s side and pulled her against her taking the red head’s mouth with her own.

Their lips and tongues played as hands explored. Nicole wanted to remove the brunette’s shirt. She needed to feel her bare skin against her own. She tugged at the hem of the shirt asking for permission to remove it. Waverly obliged by pulling it over her head and tossing it to the floor. Nicole ran her hands up Waverly’s smooth sides letting her palms graze the sides of her breasts. Waverly’s nipples instantly came to attention at Nicole’s touch. Nicole looked into Waverly’s honey hazel pools and said, “My god, Waves, you are beautiful.”

Nicole pulled Waverly into her lap. Waverly straddled the red head’s waist bringing their naked torsos together. Both groaned as their skin rubbed against one another. Waverly had never felt anything like the fire that was branding her skin from the woman’s touch or the ache that was beginning between her legs. Nicole brought Waverly closer as their lips met. Gliding from her lips down her neck, she found the spot just below Waverly’s ear and nipped it with her teeth and then placed a gently kiss there before continuing her descent.

Nicole made her way to Waverly’s breasts. She took one in her mouth and gently suckled it while her hand massaged the other. A moan escaped Waverly as she arched her back trying to get closer. Nicole ran her other hand down the other woman’s belly to the waistline of her panties. She instantly felt her tense and moved her hand away. She would have to get creative is Waverly was going to ever experience the wonders of sex.

Thinking quickly she moved Waverly and her legs until the girl was straddling one of Nicole’s thighs. “Do you trust me?” she asked watching Waverly seeing both lust and fear in her beautiful eyes and face.

“Yes,” Waverly answered nervously but at the same time she was curious as to what Nicole had planned.

Nicole turned her attention back to Waverly’s breasts. As she worked her magic on the peaks with her mouth, tongue, and hands, she felt Waverly hips begin to move. With a little help from nature and the guidance of Nicole’s hands on her hips, Waverly begin to rock her hips feeling the friction of the action on her core. Before long, Waverly was riding Nicole’s thigh like a cowgirl on a horse. Nicole could feel her heat, her wetness on her thigh and wanted to touch her core so badly, but knew that Waverly wasn’t ready for that yet. Nicole felt Waverly’s legs tighten around her leg and watched as she arched her back, “OH, GOD, NICOLE….what…..” she called out as she began to climax. Nicole wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, “Let go, baby, I’ve got you…” Nicole wrapped her arms around Waverly’s waist and held her as she released for the first time in her life. She laid her head on Waverly’s chest and listened to her racing heart and rapid breathing and felt the muscles of Waverly’s mound pulsate with every heartbeat.

When Waverly finally came down, both collapsed on the bed. Nicole rolled onto her side as Waverly lay on her back still trying to regulate her breath. Nicole brushed Waverly’s sweat drenched hair back from her face. Waverly turned smiling at Nicole, “WOW!”

Giggling, Nicole asked, “You okay?”

“I don’t know. Ask me when the room stops spinning,” Waverly said her eyes still glassy from the sexual high.

Smiling, Nicole leaned over and kissed Waverly’s damp shoulder. Waverly found Nicole’s hand and brought it to her lips. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Looking into Waverly’s eyes, Nicole replied, “No, baby, thank you…..for trusting me….again.”

Waverly rolled onto her side and caressed Nicole’s cheek. She placed a gently kiss on the red head’s lips. As the kiss deepened, Nicole rolled to her back bringing Waverly with her so that she was laying atop the red head. As their kisses become more urgent, Waverly broke away from Nicole’s mouth to place wet kisses along her jawline, down her neck and collar bone, and onto her chest. Repositioning herself so that she was sitting on Nicole’s hips, she quickly glanced at Nicole’s face and muttered shyly, almost asking permission, “Can I?.”

Nicole let her arms fall behind her head offering herself to beauty above her. “I trust you.”

Waverly captured Nicole’s breast in her mouth flicking it with her tongue causing Nicole to grip the pillows at her head and bite her lower lip. Waverly moved the other breast and repeated the process all the while exploring Nicole’s body with her hands.

Waverly could feel Nicole withering beneath her and hear the moans escaping giving her the confidence to move farther in her exploration. Sliding herself down Nicole’s legs, she feathered kisses across her abdomen and down to her bellybutton where she discovered a belly ring. With her tongue, Waverly whirled the ring around flicking it with her tongue while watching Nicole’s face for a reaction.

Nicole’s body was screaming for Waverly’s touch. She was dying to flip the girl over and take her. But it was Waverly. Waverly was different. Not because of what happened to her, but because she felt different about the woman who was blissfully torturing her. She had never felt about anyone the way she did this woman. She would gladly give up everything to be with her….forever.

Nicole still had on her jean shorts from last night. Waverly slowly unbuttoned them and kissed the exposed area. Once she slid the zipper down, she slid it apart and licking Nicole’s newly exposed skin.

Nicole who was still watching leaned her head back and moaned, “Oh, sweet Jesus!”

Smiling knowing she must definitely be doing something right, pulled Nicole’s and panties off throwing off to the side. “I, I’m not…sure….” her sentence trailed off. She knew what she wanted to do, but wasn’t sure if it was right.

“Baby, do whatever you feel like doing. Lord knows you’ve been…….doing an amazing job so far.”

“Are sure?” Waverly asked shyly.

“Oh, I'm positive, baby." Nicole smiled. “I trust you, remember.”

Waverly slid down the bed farther. Starting at Nicole’s right knee, Waverly took her time exploring both with her hands and her mouth as she made her up Nicole’s inner thigh. Just when Nicole thought Waverly had reached her core, she stopped. Opening her eyes, she found Waverly moving to her other thigh. Nicole was dying! She wanted…..no she NEEDED….. Waverly to touch her. But she had to let her do this one her own even if Nicole lost her mind in the process.

Finally, just when Nicole thought she could no longer resist Waverly’s innocent torture, she felt the brunette’s hot breath on her core. “Please,” Nicole begged.

Waverly closed her mouth over Nicole’s hot wet core savoring her first taste of the exotic woman beneath her. Nicole grabbed Waverly’s head winding her fingers into her hair and pulling her closer. Waverly put all her attention on Nicole’ mound. While her mouth focused on one part, Waverly slid a finger slide over Nicole’s hot wet abyss.

Nicole was quickly sliding into oblivion. Whatever Waverly was doing was sending her over the edge…quickly. Nicole arched her body, let out a deep guttural moan, “Waves…oh god….” Waverly wanted to be inside Nicole. She slid one finger in feeling the wetness and tight muscles swallow her finger. She wanted more. As she continued to suck Nicole's clit, she slid another finger inside and began working them in and out. Nicole was meeting each thrust with her hips. "Waves....I'm.....shit.....baby....I'm...." Nicole threw her head back and called Waverly's name as she felt Nicole’s walls pulsate in climax. Once it began to abate, Waverly pulled her fingers out and crawled over Nicole to kiss her. Nicole breathlessly and weakly returned the kiss. Waverly smiled mischievously and said, “Now whose room is spinning?”

Breathlessly, Nicole stuttered, “What….where…..WOW!”

Laughing and feeling very pleased with herself, Waverly replied completing understanding the ‘not so asked’ question. “I have no idea. I just went with it.”

“Well, you can ‘go with it’ anytime, baby,” Nicole smiled.

Reveling in their passionate glow and exhausted, the two fell asleep holding each other very content.

They didn’t see any more of the city as the rest of the weekend was spent in bed or the shower exploring one another. The only other human to be seen was the poor boy who always seemed to be the only valet on duty to deliver their room service. They decided that they had scarred the young fellow for life and his face might be permanently blushed.

Monday morning found them reluctantly packed and checked out. Their 4 hour drive turned into 8 hours because they found every excuse to stop prolonging their return to the real world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that they are back at work, they have to deal with the real world.....and Wynonna.

Back in the real world, Nicole and Waverly barely had time to eat. They made time, however, to facetime every night even if Nicole was on duty. It was the best way to end their day.

Waverly had been called to the hospital by Dr. Nedley, the chief of staff, to review some files since she was the psychiatric consultant. As she walked up to the nurses’ desk, she found Wynonna. “Hey, Wynonna.”

“Hey, Doc, what brings you here? Oh wait, you came to see Doc Haughtshot, am I right?”

“As nice as that sounds, unfortunately no. Dr. Nedley was supposed to leave some files for me.”

“Ohhhh, the big cheese called.”

“Do you happen to know where they would be?” Waverly asked propping her head in her hands on the counter.

“I got nothing, Doc. But give me a few and I’ll find ‘em,” Wynonna said.

Waverly waited at the counter and watched the entertainment as Wynonna yelled at all the orderlies and nurses who came by trying to find the files. Her favorite orderly, Doc, came by and smiled as she reprimanded him for not being around when she needed him. “Now, what pray tell, darlin’, do you so urgently need?”

Smirking at him, Wynonna told him what she was in search of and sent him off to find them. “Men, show them a little boob and they fall over themselves trying to see them again.” Waverly snorted at the comment and couldn’t look the orderly in the face when he returned.

Files finally in hand, Waverly made her way to the lounge. She was in deep concentration analyzing a file when her phone rang. Seeing it was Nicole, she quickly answered. “Hey, you!”

“Hey, yourself,” Nicole answered as she touched her girlfriend on the shoulder.

Turning and seeing Nicole, they both laughed and hung up. “Whatcha doin’?” Nicole asked giving Waverly a quick kiss. 

“Looking at files from Nedley.” Waverly had been so caught up in the file, she hadn't even heard the door open. 

“I’ve missed you, baby,” Nicole said taking a seat and bringing Waverly’s hand to her lips.

“Me, too,” Waverly stated licking her lips and wanting desperately to take Nicole in her arms.

“So….I was calling to see if you were busy tonight,” indicated Nicole and she continued to play with Waverly's fingers.

“Actually, I think I just might be free, especially for you. I do have a late patient to see at 5:00 but after that, I’m all yours.”

“Awesome! I’ll pick up beer and pizza and meet you at your place around 7:00,” Nicole suggested.

Placing a kiss on the red heads lips, Waverly said, “It’s a date, Haught.”

“Uh, Dr. Earp,” they heard someone clear their throat from the door. It was the chief of staff, Dr. Nedley.

“Dr. Nedley,” Waverly greeted.

“I see you got the files,” he said glancing at Nicole and Waverly holding hands.

“Yes, sir. I was just finishing the first one. I was going to take them with me, so I could make some notes, if that’s okay.”

“Yes, that’s fine.”

Nicole’s pager went off. “I’ve gotta run, baby. See you later, okay.”

“Absolutely,” Waverly said smiling.

As she left, Dr. Nedley cleared his throat again and inquired, “So you two are a….?”

Standing, Waverly gathered the files and looked at the chief of staff. “Yes, she’s my girlfriend. Is that a problem?” she asked somewhat defensively.

“No. Not at all. You technically aren’t a hospital employee only consultative services. You should know, however, I do look down on fraternizing between staff members. It can cause....problems within....”

Apparently this man had never witnessed Wynonna in action or he just chose to ignore her extra-curricular activities with the employees. “Well, I assure you, sir, our personal lives are our own and won’t interfere with our jobs.” As she walked to door, she turned, “I’ll have these back to you in a couple of days.”

“Okay, Dr. Earp. Thank you.”

____________________________________________________________

Right on time, Nicole arrived with beer and pizza. She sat them down on the table and grabbed Waverly wrapping her arms around the smaller woman’s waist. Capturing her mouth, Waverly run her hands up Nicole’s chest and into her red locks.

Breathless, Waverly pulled back and asked, “What about the pizza?”

“Screw the pizza, I want dessert,” Nicole growled as she captured Waverly’ s mouth again. Moaning with pleasure, Waverly slowly back them to edge of the bed where they fell and enjoyed one anther letting the pizza grow cold and beer get warm.

Waverly’s small apartment was on the ground floor. If either had looked at the window across from the bed, they would have seen a silhouette of someone watching them.

Hours later the two enjoyed cold pizza and warm beer. “So I finally got to meet the new doctor,” Nicole said.

“And?” Waverly asked taking another bite of pizza.

“Well, his name is Champ Hardy,” Nicole informed. “He’s quite….cocky.” Waverly almost choked on her pizza. 

"I know...the irony," giggled Nicole. 

Trying to be more serious, Waverly asked, “What about with the patients?”

“Don’t know. Haven’t actually worked with him yet. Oddly enough, though, Wynonna already hates him.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens with Waverly springs more surprises on Nicole?

It was late afternoon and Nicole was finally able to leave for the day. As if the day itself wasn’t hard enough, she’d gotten her first up-close and personal experience with the new doctor. She wasn’t impressed. Not only was he cocky, but he was way too flirty with the staff. Basically, he was a royal pain in the ass. 

As she approached her car, she saw Waverly leaning against the hood. Her day was finally brightening. “Hey, you,” Nicole greeted as their lips met in a slow kiss. “You don’t know just how good it is to see you----my ray of sunshine.” She threw her purse in the car and then captured Waverly in a much needed embrace.

“AAWWWW!” Waverly said stealing another kiss. “So….I have some news.”

“Oh, no. Please don’t let it be bad news,” Nicole whined.

Waverly giggled and pushed a stray lock of Nicole’s red hair behind her ear. “Oh, my poor baby,” she said placing a gently kiss on her nose. “I personally don’t think it’s bad news,” she answered reaching into her pocket and pulling out a set of keys. “I thought you might like to go with me to check out my new apartment.”

“WHAT?” Nicole grabbed the keys and looked at her girlfriend. Excitedly, she asked, “Where? When? How?”

Taking the keys back, Waverly instructed Nicole to take a ride with her and all would be revealed. On the way to her new apartment, which was only 4 blocks from the hospital, Waverly explained she’d had her eye on a loft apartment for a while. The building had been under renovation for the past year. Waverly knew some of the crew working on it, found out who owned it, and inquired about the loft area. After much deliberation and haggling, she had been able to buy the whole loft area and worked with a designer for the upgraded remodeling.

“So, this is why you’ve been so busy lately and your apartment looked so bare the other night.”

“Guilty,” she replied as she opened the door to her new lodgings.

They entered into a large spacious area with open concept kitchen and living area. To the right was a two-way fireplace with a large shag rug in front and with a bedroom on the other side of it. The bedroom had a clear view of the city through a wall of windows. There was one bathroom with a huge bear claw tub, shower, and double vanity. The whole apartment was decorated with everything new. It was very stylish and very Waverly which meant it was very inviting and cozy.

“Oh my gosh, Waves, this place…it’s beautiful,” Nicole exclaimed as she explored the new décor. “And the view….you can see the whole city practically.”

“I know. It’s one of the reasons I wanted it so badly,” Waverly explained as she made her way to where Nicole was standing and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend.

“I can’t believe you did all of this and I had no clue.”

“I’m like Wynonna. I’m a sneaky squirrel,” Waverly said with a giggle. “Plus, I wanted it to be a surprise.”

Turning in her arms, Nicole wrapped her arms around the smaller woman’s waist, “You really like surprises, don’t you?”

“Sometimes,” she said grinning mischievously before standing on her tip toes to place a kiss on Nicole’s lips.

________________________________________________________

Later, as they lay tangled in the new sheets and in each other’s limbs, Waverly slid her fingers and palm around Nicole’s cheek. She let her fingers trace over Nicole’s kiss swollen lips and said, “I am so crazy about you, Nicole Haught.” Kissing Nicole between each of the next set of words, she let her know just how much she cared about her. “You are beautiful. Smart. Funny. And…..” This kiss lasted a little longer than the others. “Really good at other things too.” What Waverly really wanted to say was ‘I love you’, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready and what she was about to do already had sent her anxiety skyrocketing.

Waverly rolled over and retrieved a box from the nightstand. As she sat up, she handed to small box to Nicole who was now propped up on her elbow watching curiously. Nicole opened the box presented to her. Inside was a key. She looked up at Waverly nervously.

“Wait! Before you freak out, let me explain,” Waverly said. “There are no strings, Nicole. It’s yours to use as you want. You are welcome here anytime. I want you to think of this place as yours too.” Waverly’s heart was racing. She was scared that Nicole was going to reject the offer. Reject her for moving fast.

Nicole looked at Waverly, “WOW! You really do like surprises.”

“Oh, God! It’s too much! I’m sorry!” Waverly panicked and tried to take back the box.

“Don’t you dare!” Nicole exclaimed pulling the box to her chest. “I love it-----I just wasn’t....expecting it.”

“Really?” Waverley asked shyly still needing some reassurance from the red head.

“Yes. I really do,” Nicole said laying box aside and pulling Waverly down to meet her lips. The next morning, Nicole slid the key on her keyring.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole's day just keeps getting worse. First Champ, then her keys, then her brownstone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a bit longer than the last. Well, we get our first real introduction to Champ, along with Dolls.

Nicole was at her locker changing out of her scrubs. It had been a gruesome day and she wanted out of the blood stained clothing before heading home. As she was changing, she felt a presence behind her. Turning she found Champ leaning precariously against the wall watching her.

“Damn, but you are hot under those scrubs, Dr. Haught,” he said as he sauntered toward her. She covered herself with her shirt thankful she had not fully striped but only removed her shirt.

He backed her against the locker blocking her escape with his arms. “You know, I heard a rumor that you bat for the other team,” he said letting his eyes roam over her and licking his lips.

Trying not to show her fear, Nicole lifted her head and replied, “That’s none of your business.”

Licking his lips again and stepping closer, he let his hand move down to her hip and said, “Why don’t you let a man show you what it’s really like?”

She pressed her back closer to the locker door and tried to move away, but his other arm blocked her. “I don’t need a man to show me anything," she growled her voice unsteady. "I already know exactly what it’s like........with my girlfriend. As if it’s any of your business." She glared at him trying to be brave. "Now……if you don’t back up, you’re not going to know what it’s like for a very long time because I’m going to disman you,” Nicole threatened.

Holding up his hand in defeat, he smiled and replied, “Can’t blame a man for trying.” He turned and walked away smiling to himself as he stuffed her keyring into his pocket.

________________________________________________________

Nicole was still shaking when she reached her car. How had Waverly faced that and worse when she was just a kid? She was shaking like a leaf and she was an adult. Making matters worse, she couldn’t find her keys, it was dark, and was about to rain. Looking at her watch, it was 1 a.m.. She didn’t want to get Waverly out, but she didn’t want to stay at the hospital either, especially after what had just happened with Champ. It was only about four blocks to Waverly’s new apartment. She decided to start walking hoping the rain would hold off until she got there.

Nicole only made it about half way before the heavens opened up. By the time she reached Waverly’s stoop, she looked as if she had just stepped out of the shower. Hoping her phone had stayed dry in her purse, she called Waverly to let her in.

Waverly answered in a groggy state of confusion. Nicole spent several minutes trying to get her to understand she needed to buzz her upstairs. When Nicole finally made it in, Waverly was standing in the doorway completely confused. But, seeing Nicole completely drenched and shaking , she quickly snapped to attention.

“I’ll go find you some clothes. You get in the shower and warm up.” After getting her some dry clothing, she found a blanket and made some hot chocolate for them both.

When Nicole finally emerged, she had stopped shaking but was still chilled to the bone. Waverly wrapped her in a blanket and headed them to the couch. “Thanks,” Nicole said snuggling into Waverly’s arms and sipping her hot chocolate.

“You’re welcome, baby,” Jess replied pulling her close. As Waverly watched Nicole, her aura began to return to normal. Nicole had the most beautiful aura she had even seen, and she had seen many. It was almost always a rainbow of colors. And, when Nicole was excited like the other night, it was almost like a sunburst. Tonight, however, her colors were off. Her reds and oranges were more visible indicating negative energy surrounding her. Waverly wasn’t sure of what was going on, but whatever it was made Nicole nervous and uneasy.

“You want to talk about it?” Waverly eventually asked.

Nicole was staring into her mug. “Not really,” she eventually said. “I’d really just like to forget about it.”

Waverly sat their cups on the end table. Waverly curled into the corner of the sofa. Nicole moved her girlfriend’s legs so she could lay between them with her head on the brunette’s stomach and wrapping her arm around her leg like a pillow. Waverly pulled the blanket over them and played with Nicole’s red locks. Eventually, Nicole’s breathing slowed as she had finally drifted into a slumber.

The morning found Waverly with a crick in her neck and shoulders. She was also stiff from sleeping in such an odd position, but she would do it all again because Nicole needed her. She carefully wiggled from beneath Nicole and made her way to the shower. After a long hot shower to loosen her up, she headed to the kitchen to make omelets and coffee. While cooking she called the hospital and Wynonna told her Nicole was off the next two days. She then called her office and had her secretary reschedule her appointments.

Waverly sat at the breakfast table at the window. She didn’t want to wake Nicole, so she put hers in the warmer. Waverly was almost finished when Nicole began to stir. “Morning,” Waverly greeted.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Nicole sat up. “What time is it?”

Waverly thought nothing was more beautiful than Nicole with her red bedhead in the mornings and slight grumpiness. “Almost 9. I made some breakfast and coffee if you’re hungry.”

“I am, actually.” Standing, Nicole headed for the bathroom. When she returned, Waverly had her breakfast and coffee waiting. As she sat down beside Waverly, she smiled. “You spoil me.”

Grinning, Waverly asked, “Are you complaining?”

“Absolutely not.”

Nicole closed her eyes in delight as she took her first bite. “Oh my god, Waves! This is delicious!”

“Thanks,” she replied as she watched Nicole to check her aura. She also was hoping to get Nicole to talk about whatever it was that had her so upset last night. She knew it was more than just a set of lost keys.

As they ate, Nicole began to open up. She started with the fact she couldn’t find her keys. She admitted they might have fallen out in her locker when she rushed to finish changing and grabbed her bag hurriedly. Nicole stopped and played with her omelet. Not wanting her close back off, Waverly prodded lightly, “Why were you in a hurry?”

“Something happened….with the new doctor,” Nicole mumbled.

“Nicole, what happened? What did he do?”

“He, uh, he came on to me…a little too aggressively.”

“Did he hurt you? Touch you?”

“No. He just made me extremely uncomfortable----scared me to death,” Nicole admitted.

“Baby, what exactly did he do?” Waverly asked trying to encourage her to talk so she could hopefully change the nightmares that she was imagining.

Nicole put her fork down, took a drink of coffee, and told her girlfriend what had happened. Waverly kept her own fear reigned in trying to block out visions of her own past that were similar to Nicole’s. Waverly held Nicole’s hand and rubbed her thumb over the woman’s knuckles. She wiped the tears from her own eyes. When Nicole finished, she glanced at Waverly. Seeing her tears, Nicole apologized telling Waverly she shouldn’t have told her. It brought up too many painful memories and Waverly would now worry about her.

Waverly kneeled in front of Nicole. Gently caressing Nicole’s jaw, she said, “Baby, no! I’m glad you told me. Don’t you ever be afraid to tell me anything. I lo…..I really care about you. I want us to deal with things together.”

Nicole leaned her forehead against Waverly’s. “Thank you,” she whispered. Waverly nuzzled her nose. She had almost told her how she really felt.

____________________________________________________________

In the afternoon, they decided to walk to the hospital and look for Nicole’s keys since the sun was now shining. They walked down the street holding hands. At the hospital, they checked with Wynonna about the keys. She hadn’t seen them but would put Doc on key duty as soon as she saw him. The two women searched the parking lot, around Nicole’s truck, and even looked through the windows to see if they were in the truck. They found nothing. Next they went to search Nicole’s locker.

When she opened the door, there on top of her soiled scrubs lay her keys. “What the….?” Waverly and Nicole looked at one another in confusion. “I swear, Waves, they weren’t in here last night.”

“I believe you, baby,” Waverly said examining the keyring more closely. She noticed a latch like the ones climbers use. “Nicole, were they just in your purse or clipped?”

“No, I’d never find them. I always clasp them on the strap.”

“Then how did they fall off?”

“Maybe I didn’t clasp it well and…..jerked them off when I pulled my bag out.” Nicole gathered her dirty garments. “I mean, I was pretty rattled last night, after….you know, Champ.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Waverly said skeptically.

“You don’t sound convinced that’s what happened,” Nicole noticing the tone in Waverly’s voice.

“Sorry, I guess it’s just me making something out of nothing,” she shrugged.

The two walked back to Nicole’s truck and to her brownstone. Nicole loved the architecture of the building. The neighborhood was beautiful and quiet. Her neighbors were also great. They were really kind and basically minded their own business but still looked out for one another. They were often sharing leftover with Nicole since they knew she had hectic schedule and cooking was the last thing on the doctor’s mind when she finished a shift. She would often come home and find food waiting on her doorstep.

Walking up the steps, Nicole inserted the key. The door swung open on its own. The women looked at one another. Waverly grabbed Nicole around the waist and stopped her from entering. “No, Nicole! You can’t go in, baby.”

“Someone has been in my home!” she yelled as she tried to pull out of Waverly’s grasp. She might be smaller, but Waverly was strong and able to hold on to her girlfriend.

“Nicole, wait! I have a friend at the police department. Let me call him….please, baby.” Waverly, still holding onto Nicole, tried to reason. “If you go busting in there, you could contaminated the scene and ruin any chance of them finding the person who did this. Plus….they may still be in there.”

Nicole knew Waverly was right. But, it was still her home. She needed to be sure it was alright.

When Nicole relaxed her pull, Waverly let her back to the truck. She called her friend, Detective Xavier Dolls.

“Doll,” he answered his phone.

“Hey, Dolls, it’s Waverly Earp.”

“Hey, Doc, it’s been a while,” he greeted.

“Um, yeah. I, uh, I need a favor,” she began.

“Okay, I’ll help if I can.”

“My girlfriend’s apartment has been broken into.”

“Doc, why’d you call me? Why didn’t you just call it in?”

Waverly turned away from Nicole so she couldn’t hear what she said to the detective. “Dolls, I haven’t said anything to her, but I think it is more than just a break in.”

Sitting up straighter in his chair, Xavier’s attention was held fast by the doctor. She never called unless it was something, and almost always she was right about her hunches. “What do you mean, Doc?”

“In addition to this, her keys disappeared and then magically reappeared last night. Then this happened during that time.”

“Is that all?” he asked.

“No,” she admitted. “My former landlord called yesterday and asked about maintaince on a window at my old apartment. I hadn’t had anything done. He said he found footprints, broken branches on the bushes, and scratch marks on the window pane.”

“Did he call it in?”

“I’m not sure,” she admitted.

“Okay, Doc. I’ll send over a couple of units and check with you old landlord.” Waverly gave him the needed information and hung up.

“Hey, baby,” she said returning Nicole’s side, “they’re on their way.”

Nicole leaned against Waverly emotionally exhausted. Waverly wrapped her arms around her. Soon they heard the sirens in the distance. The next few hours were spent watching the officers comb through her apartment, the CSI department analyzing evidence, and Nicole answering questions from the police and neighbors. The neighbors themselves were also questioned, but no one had seen anything.

Finally the officers agreed to allow Nicole in the house. They needed to go through the scene and ask her questions and they agreed to let her pack a bag so she could stay with Waverly. Now that they were allowed in, Nicole could see the damage. The living area and kitchen were basically untouched. It was the upstairs in the bedroom and bathroom where the violation of privacy was visible. On the bed lay two outfits neatly displayed. Between them lay a bag with a pair of underwear inside. The panties looked wet. A shudder ran over Nicole. From the closet, Nicole quickly retrieved luggage. She quickly threw some clothing in trying to avoid looking at the bed. In the bathroom, the scene was just as disturbing. On the mirror was drawn a heart with Nicole’s lipstick. It was smeared with what looked like semen.

Nicole swallowed back her vomit that threatened to spill forth. She grabbed her brush and deodorant and threw them in her bag. She would replace everything else or just use Waverly’s. It wasn’t until they were back at the loft that Nicole completely fell apart. She raced to the bathroom where she released her previously eaten breakfast. When she was finished, she sat on the floor and leaned against the tub. She accepted the cold wet rag Waverly reached to her and wiped her face. Waverly sat down beside her and pulled her close. Nicole broke again as she lay with her head in Waverly’s lap violently shaking from tearful sobs. Waverly said nothing. She just sat brushing Nicole’s damp hair from her face. She sat in silence, holding her the woman she loved waiting for the emotional release to end.

Dusk was falling when Nicole finally sat up. Her brown eyes were red and swollen. “I’m sorry,” she whimpered.

Waverly touched Nicole’s thigh and ran her thumb in circles. She pulled her head against her own. “Baby, don’t apologize. You’ve had two days from hell. You’re allowed to cry and breakdown all you want.”

“Not like this,” she sniffed. “I don’t do……this,” she said indicating her red, swollen face.

“No, you don’t baby,” Waverly admitted. “But, I would really worry if you didn’t.”

“I don’t like to do this…..to be….vulnerable…..to be weak.” Nicole pushed her hair back from her face and wiped her face on the now dry washcloth.

“Nicole, babe, this isn’t weak. This…is being human. Without emotion….we are nothing more than robots.” Tilting Nicole’s chin so that she was looking into those deep pools of chocolate, she continued, “And you, Nicole Rayleigh Haught, sure as hell aren’t weak. You are probably one of the strongest, badass women that I know.” She ran her thumb across the red head’s cheek bone and admitted nervously, “And this……just makes me….love you more.”

Nicole deepened their gaze and turned her head to kiss the palm of Waverly’s hand. “You love me?”

“Yeah, yeah, I do. I love you, Nicole Haught.” Taking a breath she quickly added, “And it’s okay if you……”

Waverly didn’t get to finish her sentence. Nicole captured her mouth twining her fingers into Waverly’s brown luscious mane and pulled her closer. It was like electricity sparking from a newly ignited energy. It was Waverly who pulled away. “Can we take this somewhere else?”

To answer, Nicole stood and pulled Waverly to her feet. She barely got her balance before Nicole backed her against the sink kissing and caressing everywhere she could in a heated frenzy. Nicole bent down and placed her hands under Waverly’s backside and lifted. Waverly wrapped her legs around Nicole’s waist.

In the bedroom, Nicole released Waverly and she slid her legs over Nicole’s hips never releasing their lips. Their kisses deepened. Tongues and hands explored. Clothing was removed and discarded haphazardly across the room. Falling into the bed in a tangle of limbs and caresses, the two made love into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think I would make Champ nice?


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The results are in. Did Dolls find anything? Are all these coincidences connected?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little shorter. Hope you enjoy it!

The phone woke Waverly the next morning.

“Dolls?” she answered so Nicole would know who it was on the other end. They both sat up in bed pulling the sheet to cover themselves as Waverly put the detective on speaker phone.

“Morning, Doc. I just checked with the lab. Is there any way you and Dr. Haught can come down to the station?”

“Absolutely,” she answered seeing Nicole nod in agreement. “When is a good time?”

“How about in an hour? That should give me enough time to get the reports from Jeremy, out tech guy.”

“That’s fine. We’ll see you then.” After hanging up, Waverly leaned against the headboard. She didn’t want to keep Nicole in the dark about the rest. “Um, there’s something you need to know.” Waverly told Nicole about the window. “I know I should have told you sooner. But, I really didn’t think anything of it, until all of ….yesterday. Nicole, I have a bad feeling, a really bad feeling.”

“I get it. So do I, now that you’ve told me this. Someone has been watching me….us….I don’t know.” She sighed deeply. “I just don’t know. But, maybe….your detective friend can figure it out.”

“I sure hope so,” Waverly said leaning over for a quick kiss. But, when she tried to pull away to get ready, Nicole grabbed her hand to stop her. “So, how far is the station from here?”

Looking at her curiously, Waverly asked, “Whhyyyy?” With a mischievous smirk, Nicole tugged at the sheet until it fell from Waverly. Leaning over, she placed her lips around one of Waverly’s hardened peaks and licked circles around the nub. “Really close,” Waverly answered arching her back and pulling Nicole’s body closer as she slid back down into the bed.

“Perfect!” Nicole smiled as she drug herself on top of Waverly and continued her wet hot exploration of the brunette’s body.

_______________________________________________________

They were late arriving at the station. Dolls was waiting for them and escorted them to one of the conference rooms. “Ladies, thank you for coming down.”

“I told Nicole about the window,” Waverly confessed.

“Well, I’m glad you told me about it, too. Your landlord did call it in. I wasn’t satisfied with the report and sent Jeremy over to a better look. The rain had washed the foot prints out, but he did find evidence of semen on the wall underneath the window. There were no prints on the window. We were able to get some dried semen off. It has been sent to lab for comparison with that found at your house, Dr. Haught.”

“So someone has been watching us?” Waverly asked feeling sick with the thought of prying eyes and someone getting off on what they saw.

“I’m afraid so, Doc.” Flipping through the file, he continued. “Dr. Haught, are you sure you locked your door when you left?”

“Yes. I always double check the locks,” Nicole answered matter-of-factly.

“Both locks?”

“Yes. Always.”

“Dolls,Nicole is very meticulous. If she said she locked the door, then she did. Plus, hers were missing all night,” Waverly stated defensively.

“Yes. That’s what you said yesterday, Doc. But, you found them, right? In her locker at work?”

“Yes. In my locker,” answered Nicole frustration quickly building.

“Okay, so Dr. Haught, there was no forced entry at your brownstone. There was evidence, however, someone----male---had been there.”

Showing the women a picture from the Nicole’s bedroom, he asked, “Which of you do these belong to?”

Looking at the photo of the blue lace underwear Nicole had seen on the bed in the bag, she stated plainly, “Mine.”

“Whose clothing was laid on the bed?”

“Mine,” they answered at the same time.

Dolls made some notes. “So far we have no prints, no forcible entry, and DNA isn’t back yet on the samples.” Pulling out a photo of the mirror, he directed his next question at Nicole. “I am assuming the lipstick used here is yours?”

“Yes, that’s the only color I use, if I use any at all.” She paused before asking her question. “What…what else…was on the mirror?”

“To be honest, we don’t know for sure yet. Jeremy is still running tests.” Dolls closed his file and leaned back staring at the two women. “Ladies, is there anything else I need to know?”

Waverly glanced at Nicole. The red head knew what she was thinking----Champ. Taking a breath as Waverly ran her fingers through Nicole’s, the red head recounted her encounter with Champ the night her keys went missing. Dolls made notes. “I’ll check it out.” He stood and walked them out of the station. Before they left, he said, “Hey, Doc. Both of you stay alert and don’t go anywhere alone. Always be with someone…..someone you trust.”

“Okay. Thanks, Dolls,” Waverly said.   
“I’ll call as soon as I know anything.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There hasn't been much action so far. But please hang in there. I promise there are some kick ass scenes on the way.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly sees a very disturbing aura around someone at the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a friend who sees auras around people. Not all people, just some. I'm always asking her what mine is and what it means because they can change with your moods. With what I've learned from her over the years and the research I did on my own, I thought it would a neat twist to the story.

The following week found Waverly and Nicole constantly looking over their shoulders. Nicole stayed at Waverly’s loft as she was having her brownstone professionally cleaned from top to bottom. Even then, she wasn't sure she could stay there alone.

It hit Waverly that she had lied to Dr. Nedley. She had promised to return the patient files in a couple of days. She hadn’t. In the midst of all the chaos, she had completely forgotten them. So, the couple’s personal life did actually interfere with work. Oh well. There was nothing she could do. Nicole and her safety came first.

The next day she arrived at the nurses’ desk looking for Nedley. Wynonna paged him and while they waited Wynonna caught up Waverly on all the hospital gossip. While listening to Wynonna's ramblings about people she really didn't know, Waverly happened to glance down the hallway. An aura split her vision like knives. She became dizzy and extremely nauseated. “Bathroom,” she gagged and raced across the hall. Behind her she heard Wynonna bellow, “NOT ON MY FLOORS, DOC!”

Once she had released her stomach’s contents, she leaned back on her knees against the door of the bathroom stall. The nausea was dissipating, but her head was still spinning. She heard a familiar voice calling her name, “Waves? Baby, you in here? Are you okay?”

Waverly leaned to the right and unlocked the door. Nicole raced to her. She checked her vitals. Her heart rate was still high. Getting a wet paper towel, Nicole gently wiped the sweat from her girlfriend’s face. “Baby, what happened? Wynonna did an all-call for me, yelled it was you, and directed me in here.”

Waverly leaned her head against the stall wall. “Someone….someone down the hall, their aura,” she stammered. “I’ve never seen anything….felt anything like that.”

Waverly swallowed slowly trying to calm her spinning head. Nicole noticed she was paling again. “Baby, look at me.”

Waverly opened her eyes. Nicole noticed they were glassy and dilated. Whatever Waverly had seen had really done a number on her body. “Do you know who it was? What they looked like?”

Waverly tried to think back before the darkness overtook her. “Scrubs……” Waverly jumped at the toilet again and wretched. Nicole held her hair back and supported her body. When she was done, Nicole leaned her back again. “I’m going to get Wynonna and Doc. We need to get you in a room with some meds and IV. If you keep this up, you’re gonna dehydrate.”

Waverly gave a faint nod. She just wanted to sleep. When Nicole came back, Doc picked Waverly up and carried her to an empty triage room. Wynonna gave her a shot of promethazine while Nicole hooked her to an IV. The patient was soon sleeping. Nicole never left her side for the next few hours. Around midnight, the small brunette finally convenience her girlfriend doctor that she was well enough to go home. Nicole agreed only if she went straight to bed.

The good thing about Nicole living with Waverly was that she made sure she followed her directions. Nicole pampered her girlfriend patient to make sure she was comfortable and symptoms hadn’t returned. As they lay in bed with Waverly’s head on Nicole’s chest and arm draped across her stomach, Nicole was still concerned about what had happened at the hospital. “Baby, how are you feeling?” she asked running her long slim fingers through the brunette’s hair.

“Better,” she sighed.

“Has that like, ever happened before?”

“Auras?” Waverly asked turning her head to look up at Nicole.

“No, I mean, not really. I know you said…you saw them sometimes….around people. But, I guess I mean….like you did today…at the hospital?

“Like that?” Nicole nodded. “No, never like that,” Waverly answered. “I mean, I’ve seen darkness around people, especially in the prisons where I’ve had to go. But never anything like that.”

“Could you like describe it?” Nicole couldn’t help but to be curious, and Waverly didn’t mind trying to explain it to her.

Waverly played with the edge of Nicole tank top. “With most people, it more like a glow. Usually one color. That makes them easy to read. But….at the hospital…..it was almost like I was caught in a tornado with all this darkness swirling around me…sucking the air out of me.”

Nicole nodded. “I’ve seen burst before, but….not like that.”

“Burst?” Nicole questioned.

“Yeah. Like you.” Waverly giggled.

“Me?” Nicole was shocked. She had bursts?

“Yeah. Like, I can read your mood so easily.” Leaning her head back she looked in Nicole’s eyes and brushed her fingers along her jawline. “Most of the time, you are like a beautiful rainbow of colors. When you are excited, you burst.”

“I burst?” Nicole giggled. “Like exploding?”

“Sort of, but in a good way. It... like... there are rays.... of all your colors shooting out from your body.”

“What about a bad mood?” Nicole made a moody face at Waverly who giggled, then turned serious.

“The other night, when you showed up at the door…..your colors were really off. They were so many dark oranges and reds. Literally scared me to death.”

“That’s why you jumped to attention….” Nicole assumed.

“Yeah,” Waverly admitted.

They sat in silence for a while just holding one another. “Do you like having that ability?”

“Sometimes,” Waverly answered. “It can actually come in handy with my patients..on how to approach them and their situation.”

“Cool,” Nicole said kissing the top of Waverly’s head. “It’s getting late…or rather…really early morning. We need to get some sleep.”

“Oh, shit!” Waverly exclaimed shooting out of Nicole’s arms. ‘

“What!?”

“The damn files!” Waverly stated face palming.

“It’s okay. Wynonna took care of them. She gave them to Nedley.”

“Oh, thank goodness!” she said flopping back on the bed and snuggling against Nicole. “That’s twice I’ve bailed!”

“I think you have a good excuse since you were in the ER most of the night,” Nicole said pulling Waverly closer to her. They snuggled under the sheet and all of Waverly's blankets with Nicole holding the woman she loved against her. It seemed the world was going crazy and taking them with it. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter. Have you figured out who it is? Someone said Champ earlier. Just have to wait and see. Also, if you know anything about aura or if I got something wrong, please let me I know. THANKS! ENJOY!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The stalker seems to expanding by adding cameras and microphones to Waverly's loft among other things. Also, is Champ working alone? What is Dolls's plan for catching the guy who is stalking WayHaught?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, guys this chapter is a little longer than intended. I'm hoping you are still enjoying it!!!

They tried their best to get back into a routine. The last couple of weeks had thrown them both a curve ball. Waverly was busy trying to catch-up on all the rescheduled appointments which had her working late into the night on more than one occasion. Nicole was working weird hours, too. They were barely seeing each other in passing. When they were together, they were exhausted and usually just ordered in and stayed on the couch cuddling. 

It was on one of these rare evenings that Det. Dolls showed up at Waverly’s apartment. When Waverly opened the door, she was surprised to see him standing there. “Dolls.”  
“Hey, Doc. I was on my way home and thought I’d drop by and let you know what we got back from the labs.”  
“Uh, yeah, ok, please, come in,” Waverly said stepping aside to let him in.   
“Hey, Dr. Haught,” he greeted her as she came to stand at the bar.   
“Please, call me Nicole,” she said. “Can I get you some coffee, tea, water?”  
“No, thanks. I just wanted to let you guys know what we found.” He opened the file and showed them the reports. “So, it was semen on the mirror and on the underwear. It was from the same man. We also ran tests on what was found below the window at your old apartment. It was also semen….from the same person. We ran the DNA through the database but there was no match.”

"Of course, there wasn't," Waverly growled.  
“Nothing. You basically have nothing?” asked Nicole frustrated.   
Dolls ignored her comment and continued, “I also pulled in the doctor, Champ Hardy, for an interview. He admitted he had made a pass at you but knew nothing about the missing keys.”  
“Pass? Really? That’s what he called it?” Nicole’s temper was increasing quickly. Waverly could see her aura changing to negative.   
“Dolls, what did he say happened?” questioned Waverly.   
“He said they had worked together that day. He said Dr. Haught…Nicole… was ‘hot’ and so he made a comment about it and asked her out. She declined.”  
“That’s son of bitch!” yelled Nicole as she stomped over the window and looked out over the city.   
“I take it that’s not what happened?” Dolls asked watching Nicole.   
“Uh, no. Not even close,” Waverly said. She continued to give Dolls the details about that night.   
“Damn, I wished she had told me earlier. I could have used that when I interviewed him,” he replied back.   
“Sorry, Dolls, we just….”  
“I know, Doc,” he touched her arm. “I’m not giving up. I’ll find this guy.”  
“I know you will. I’m just worried about Nicole. She’s ….exhausted.” Waverly looked over at her girlfriend who was now leaning against the cool glass. “Is….there anything…else?”  
“One more thing, Doc. It was just a thought, a feeling….but… what keys were one her keyring?”

“Um, her house, truck…..oh, and mine…to here. I had just given it to her.”  
“Would you care if I had Jeremy do a run through of your apartment?” Dolls asked.   
“Dolls, what aren’t you telling me?” she asked nervously.   
“When, the cleaners…….I had an officer be there while they worked. Not sure why I did it. I….just did…..Doc, they found cameras....and microphones…in her home.”  
“What?” Waverly said quite loudly drawing Nicole’s attention back to the conversation.  
“Waves, what did he say?” Nicole asked as she rejoined them at the bar.   
“Nicole….” Waverly took her hands and pulled her close wrapping her arms around Nicole’s waist.   
“They found…cameras and microphones….hidden in your apartment,” Dolls informed her.   
“What!?” Nicole was shocked. Her stomach began churning as the thought of someone watching her ….in her own home. She pulled away and walked to the couch.   
“Doc, I’ll send Jeremy over in the morning and have him do a thorough search. Is there….anywhere…..”

Waverly interrupted him. “No, Dolls, I’m not leaving. He is NOT running me out of my home too. I’ve dealt with shit tickets like him all of my life and I’m done running.” Waverly was furious at the thought of someone invading her privacy. She was tired of running. When they found this guy, she was going to kick his ass. She was going to kick it so hard, she might even go up a shoe size.   
“Okay, Doc. I understand. Please, though, be careful.”   
“We will,” she said as she led him to the door. 

The next morning Waverly called her office and rescheduled appointments….again. Jeremy arrived just as the doctors were finishing breakfast. Waverly stayed out of his way as he made his rounds through the house with whatever gadgets he was using. At one point, he heard him on his phone talking to Dolls. Nicole left and headed to the hospital while Waverly waited to see if Jeremy found anything. 

She could stand it no longer. She finally cornered him. “So, find anything?”  
Jeremy threw a glance her way but said nothing.   
“Hey, come on, this is my house. You can tell me if you found anything.” She continued to prod but he said nothing.   
“Damnit, Jeremy! Did you find anything!?” she yelled at him as she blocked his progression in the living area.   
His eyes grew wide as he stared at the petite woman in front of him. She was giving a angry glare that was frightening. But, he was more afraid of Dolls if he disobeyed orders. “I’m sorry, Dr. Earp. I was told not to tell you anything. Dolls will fill you in when he gets here.” He tried to slip past her but she side-stepped to block him again.   
“So, Dolls is coming here?” she questioned.   
“Uh….um…..I’m not at liberty to ……”  
Waverly was pissed. “Okay, you little, shit strumpet, I’m tired. Someone is stalking my girlfriend. My routine has been interrupted. And, damnit, I need answers.” She pointed a finger in his face, “and you…Jeremy…are going to give them to me.”  
“Uh….” The woman before was glaring in fury. He swallowed nervously even though there was no saliva in his mouth. He was beginning to fear this small fireball more than Dolls. “um, well, “  
“Did you find something? Simple yes or no….” she huffed.   
“YYYYeessss,” Jeremy whispered nervously.   
“Where!?” Waverly demanded her anger rising swiftly as her breath became ragged. 

Jeremy said nothing. He just pointed toward the bathroom and bedroom. “That son of bitch,” Waverly murmured furiously. She sat down on the couch and held her head in her hands. Tears filled her eyes but she wasn’t going to cry. She refused to let them fall. It made her weak. She didn’t have time to be weak. She had to be strong….be strong for Nicole. Waverly had lived through the nightmares but Nicole…she hadn’t. 

As Waverly sat on the couch the bell rang. It was Dolls. When he entered, he could tell from the look on her face Jeremy had spilled the beans and told her about the cameras. “Really?” he asked looking at Jeremy.   
“Listen, Dolls, she may be little, but she is a fireball. I wasn’t going to risk my life,” Jeremy said shrugging his shoulders and finishing his examination quite flustered at being intimidated by a small female.   
Dolls shook his head at Jeremy in exasperation. “Don’t be mad at him, Dolls. I made him tell me.”  
“Well, he shouldn’t have,” Dolls growled.   
“Whatever,” Waverly said turning her back on him and making her way back to the sofa. “Is there anything we can do about….this…?” she asked pointing toward the bedroom and bathroom.   
“Maybe,” Dolls stated. “We need to go somewhere private and talk. I also need Dr. Ha…Nicole, to be there too.”  
“How about the hospital? She can meet us during her break. Then when we’re done, maybe I can actually see some patients.”  
“Ok, yeah, that’s good. I’m going to get with Jeremy and let him know what I want him to do. Can he stay here while we go to the hospital?”  
“I guess, yeah,” Waverly stated wondering what Dolls had planned. She gave Jeremy her key and she and Dolls headed to the hospital.   
__________________________________________________________  
“OOOOHHHHH, Doc, who is this delicious piece of candy you got with you?” Wynonna asked giving Dolls a slow once-over as he and Waverly walked up to the nurses’ desk.   
“Down, Wynonna,” Waverly said.  
“What!!!????” Wynonna asked pretending to be innocent while still checking out Dolls.   
“Not now, Wynonna. I need Nicole.” Waverly said. Pausing, she added, “Plus, what about Doc?”  
“Doc???” Wynonna asked staring at Dolls.   
“Yes, Wynonna. Doc. You know, your orderly…..friend,” Waverly answered giving her a look.   
“Oh, yeah. Doc. He’s uh…somewhere” she said motioning down the hall.  
“Hey, Wynonna! I need you to focus. I need Nicole. Like now!” Waverly said as her frustration began to build again.   
“Jeez, Doc. Ok. Get your knickers out of a wad,” Wynonna said. “I’ll page her.”  
Dolls just stood listening to the two bicker. Soon, Nicole made her way down hall. When she say Waverly and Dolls, she walked faster. “Hey, baby,” she said giving Waverly a quick kiss.   
“Hey.” Waverly said returning the kiss. “We need somewhere to talk.”   
“Yeah, okay.” Nicole didn’t like the tone of Waverly’s voice. She knew from her actions that something was found in the apartment. “Hey, Wynonna, any rooms empty right now?”  
Wynonna looked at her computer. “Yeah, Room 6.”  
“Okay, thanks!” Nicole led the two to the empty room. As they walked away, Wynonna called out to Dolls, “Hey, you didn’t give me your number!”  
Dolls turned around and smiled. He pointed and mouthed, “Look down” and turned away following Nicole and Waverly. Wynonna smiled to herself picking up the business card.   
_______________________________________________________  
“Ok, so….” Dolls began once they were in the room. “There were cameras in the both the bedroom and bathroom at your loft.”  
“What about microphones?” Nicole asked.   
“I left Jeremy there to check that. He was only running a quick test to see if he needed to dig deeper.”  
“So, what do we do, Dolls?” Waverly asked frustrated at the whole situation.   
“I have an idea. I’m going to have Jeremy make a loop of video, one for the day when you guys are out and one for the night when you’re home.”  
“What about sound?” Nicole asked.   
“I’m hoping he can hack into the feed for that too and maybe disable or distort it somehow,” Dolls replied.   
“So what do we do?” Waverly asked.   
“Get out of town,” Dolls said plainly.   
“Runaway?” Waverly asked.   
“Listen, Doc. This guy not only stole the keys, he made copies. He could come in while you’re sleeping and do god knows what.”  
“I could change the locks,” Waverly bargained.   
“We are going to do that, but not just yet.” Dolls took a deep breath. He had to convince these two that he had a plan and it would work, if they just did what he asked. “Listen, Docs. We’ve got to catch this guy. That is the only way to ever get your lives back to normal. And, the only way to do that, is for you to do what I ask.”  
Waverly looked at Nicole. They understood one another just by reading the emotions in one another’s eyes. “”Fine,” Waverly said.   
“Good. That’s being smart. I need you to find somewhere to go. But tell no one, except me.”  
“Okay. But we need a few days to get this done.” Nicole answered. “It’s not like I can just pick up and leave. I have to make sure my shifts are covered.”  
“Of course. Just be discrete,” Dolls ordered.   
As they headed to the door to leave, they were completely unaware of the person listening on the other side.   
Nicole walked Waverly back to the nurses’ desk. “God, Waves, is this ever going to end?” she asked laying her head on top of the brunette’s and wrapping her arms around her.   
“I hope so,” she answered pulling back to look at her eyes. “I …..I don’t know….I just ….want us to be…..normal again.”  
“We will be,” Nicole said giving her a quick peak on the nose.   
“Yo, Docs! PDA! Here comes the boss man!” Wynonna called out them. They didn’t care though. They were past caring. Parting their faces but keeping their arms around each other, Nicole informed the shorter brunette that she needed talk to Nedley about time off. Waverly announced she needed to go anyway. “See you tonight, babe,” Nicole said.   
“Yeah. Oh, I’ll probably be late. I asked Chrissy to reschedule my morning appointments to the evening for those that could.”   
“Ok. I’ll make us some dinner,” Nicole said squeezing her hand as she pulled away.   
___________________________________________________________________  
When Waverly entered her office, Chrissy met her with a huge smile. “Hey, Waves.”   
“Hey, Chrissy. Did you get everyone rescheduled?”  
“There were only a couple who could do it today. I put the others on for tomorrow evening. Is that ok?”  
“Yeah, that’s great, Chrissy. Were they upset?” Waverly asked as she flipped through her messages.   
“Actually no. Some were going to call and reschedule anyway, so it really worked out.”  
“Great. Thanks again,” Waverly said heading to office door.   
“Oh, Waves, you have a surprise waiting in there.” Waverly turned looking at Chrissy oddly. “You’ll see,” Chrissy answered.  
Waverly shrugged her shoulders and opened her door. On her desk was a large bouquet of mixed flowers. Turning back toward Chrissy, “Who….?” she let the question trail off when Chrissy shrugged her shoulders.   
“I figured from Nicole,” she answered.   
“Hummmmm,” Waverly said as a smile reached the corner of her mouth and she closed her door. At her desk she bent and smelled the bouquet. Some of the fragrances were strong The colors were bright. There was no card attached. She walked around her desk and pulled out her phone from her purse. As she started to dial Nicole to thank her and ask her to explain the occasion, she glanced back at the bouquet. Her head began to swim again. Her stomach once again began to churn like it had when she saw the aura at the hospital. She stared at the bouquet almost studying it. Although the colors were bright, there was a gray, almost black tinted cloud surrounding the flowers.   
“OH SHIT!” she exclaimed. She jumped to her feet but quickly realized that it was mistake. She held onto her desk trying to calm her spinning mind. “CHRISSY!” she yelled when her footing became unreliable.   
Chrissy ran into the office to find her boss gripping the desk and pale. “Waves?”  
“Where did they come from?” she managed.   
“What?”  
“Who delivered the damn flowers, Chrissy?” Waverly yelled back.   
“I…I …don’t know, Waves. Just some guy,” Chrissy stammered not really understanding why Waverly was so upset over the flowers.   
“Just some guy? Really? No description?” Chrissy was shaking her head no. “What about the florist?”   
“No…” Chrissy whispered. “I..I didn’t think to ask. Waves….what’s going on?”  
“Nothing. Just…….go. I need to make a few calls.” Waverly said as she made her way back to her chair. She dialed Dolls number.   
“Doc?”  
“He sent damn flowers, Dolls!”  
“What? Where?”  
“To my office. I’m sitting here looking at them now,” Waverly said turning toward the wall hoping to calm her head.   
“How do you know they’re from him? Was there a card?”  
“I just know, Dolls. Trust me,” she answered.   
“Ok. Have you touched them?”  
“No.”   
“Good. I’ll send Jeremy to get them.”  
__________________________________________________________________  
The bar was loud and dark. Champ sat at the bar downing his third shot of whiskey when he felt someone touch his shoulder. Looking, he saw it was Tucker. He huffed and followed him to the men’s bathroom.   
“You called,” Tucker asked locking the door behind them.   
“Yeah. They found the cameras at the loft.”  
“That’s what you had to tell me? I already knew that,” Tucker said unamused.  
“They are heading out of town,” Champ said.   
Tucker tried not to show his interest as he asked simple questions. “Where?”  
“Not sure,” Champ admitted.  
“Ok, when?”  
“Don’t know.”  
“Do you know anything, Champ?” Tucker asked his eyes glaring furiously at the poor excuse of a man across from him. “You call me to this dump and tell me things I already know.” He turned and unlocked the door. “Call me when you actually know something.”  
____________________________________________________________________  
Waverly finally made it home. Entering she found Nicole finishing up in the kitchen with a pasta meal and salad, one of her favorites. Dropping her things by the door not even caring where they landed, she made her way to her girlfriend and wrapped her arms around her waist from the back. She kissed her back between her shoulder blades. “UUUMMMM,” she hummed. “I’ve missed you.” 

Setting her pot down, Nicole turned in her arms and encircled Waverly’s waist. Waverly felt the tension of her day begin to evaporate as she laid her head against Nicole’s chest and focused on her heartbeat. Nicole ran her hands through Waverly’s brown tendrils of hair. “Bad afternoon, baby?” she asked. 

“Yeah and no,” Waverly admitted. Pulling away to look at Nicole, she told her about finally getting to see patients and then the flowers. 

“Jezzzz, Waves! Baby, why didn't you call me?” Nicole said pulling her close again. Waverly felt her reserve begin to break. She willed herself not to cry. It didn’t work. Nicole felt her shirt dampen. Placing long lean finger under Waverly’s chin, she pulled her face up to meet her own. Nicole gently glided her lips across Waverly’s. The brunette moved her hand up to twine her fingers in Nicole’s red locks pulling her closer and letting out a moan. Nicole lifted Waverly off the floor, turned, and sat her on the counter without breaking their kiss. Nicole ran her hands up and down Waverly’s thighs and around to caress her buttocks. Pulling her closer, Waverly circled her legs around Nicole’s hips grinding against her. Just as their kiss deepened, Nicole pulled away, “Waves, wait….”

Waverly was trying to catch her breath. “Not here,” Nicole said. “Let’s go……” Waverly slid of the counter taking Nicole’s hand. She led them out the door and down to her truck. Climbing in, Nicole started it and sped out of town to an overlook of the city. It was the middle of the week and no one was there. 

Neither had said a word on the drive as their sexual tension was explosive. When Nicole turned off the ignition, she climbed out, opened the extended cab door, and pulled out her camping gear she had never unpacked at the loft. Waverly watched as Nicole lowered the bed of the pickup and spread out the sleeping bags. When finished, she reached for Waverly’s hand who had made her way to the back of the truck. 

Nicole lifted Waverly and sat her on the bed of the truck. She ran her hands once again up Waverly’s thighs and eventually pulling her against her body. Waverly didn’t move as Nicole ran her hands under her shirt and pulled it over her head. Nicole wasted no time in capturing Waverly’s mouth and seeking permission to explore the heat with her tongue and exploring her torso with roaming hands. In the blink of an eye, Nicole had unsnapped Waverly’s bra. As she moved to remove the straps, she let her mouth trace the path each left. 

Waverly wrapped her legs around Nicole’s hips and pulled her closer as the woman’s mouth began exploring the mounds of her breasts. Nicole left wet kisses across the edge of each bra cup. Waverly moved to pull it off but Nicole stopped her. While her hands held Waverly’s, Nicole took the bra between her teeth and pulled it away. Waverly thought she had never seen anything so sexy as her girlfriend standing there with her bra between her teeth. Nicole smirked and spit it out. Licking her lips and still holding Waverly’s wrists, she lowered her head and captured a peak. As she suckled the hard peak, she let her tongue run over it. Waverly arched her back trying to get closer wanting more. Nicole released Waverly’s wrists and wrapped one around her bare waist while the other massaged the other breast.

Waverly was on fire. She wanted to touch Nicole’s skin but she didn’t want her lover stop what she was doing to strip. Waverly moaned and ground her hips into Nicole’s stomach. Waverly somehow realized that Nicole had on a button down shirt. She gripped the sides and pulled popping buttons as it opened. Nicole’s mouth never left Waverly as she slipped her arms out of the shirt. Waverly didn’t stop. She unhooked Nicole’s bra and removed it as well. Once nothing hindered their progression, Waverly pulled Nicole’s chest against her own moving her lips to capture Nicole's. She let a straggled growl when their bodies touched.   
“God, I’ve missed you, Waves,” Nicole said catching her breath.   
“Me too, baby,” Waverly said now tugging at the button on Nicole’s jeans. Nicole undone her pants and discarded them and her lacy underwear quickly. She then help Waverly with her dress pants and panties. Soon they were totally nude and laying in the back of Nicole’s pickup totally lost in one another oblivious to everything around them. 

Sometime later with their clothing strewn about the ground and snuggled against one another under a blanket Nicole found in the truck cab, they lay in silence enjoying the only quiet time together they'd had in weeks. “Can we just stay here?” Waverly asked feathering her fingers across Nicole’s stomach.   
“If only,” she managed to say as her skin tingled with every move of Waverly's fingers.   
As Waverly and Nicole’s fingers danced along the other’s skin, Waverly asked, “Where are we gonna go, baby? I mean, Dolls wants us to get out of town, but where are we going to go that someone doesn’t or can't find us?”  
Nicole thought for a moment. “I have an idea,” she finally said.   
Waverly propped up on an elbow to look at Nicole. Nicole smiled mischievously. “You know, you just said you wanted to stay here.”  
“Yeah, and….”  
“Let’s go camping,” Nicole suggested.   
“Camping?” Waverly gave Nicole an 'are you crazy look'.   
“Yeah, Waves. It will be fun.”  
“You do realize that I have NEVER been camping?”  
“There’s a first time for everything, babe. Plus, we don’t have to make reservations, at least not where I have in mind.”  
Waverly looked at Nicole skeptically. “Are you sure about this?”  
“What could be better than sleeping under the stars in the middle of nowhere with the most beautiful woman in the world,” Nicole smiled confidently using what she knew would convince Waverly---- her puppy dog eyes and dimples.   
“Fine,” Waverly huffed. “Damn dimples get me every time.”  
“I love you, Waves,” Nicole kissing Waverly’s shoulder.   
“I love you too, Nicole,” Waverly replied capturing Nicole’s lips. It was almost twilight when Nicole and Waverly finally packed up and headed back to the loft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Tucker is behind everything. But why is Champ helping him? Thanks for all the Kudos and comments!!!!


	10. Chapter 10

Nicole and Waverly pulled back in at the loft. Waverly was sliding out of the passenger seat when she noticed something on the windshield of her car. “Nicole,” she said stopping. Nicole came around the truck to check on her. Waverly pointed to her car and then pulled the piece of paper from under the wiper. Nicole stepped closer to Waverly to read the note.

_You think you can hide from me? I’ll always find you both._

Waverly started to crinkle the note in her fist, but Nicole stopped her. Pulling out Waverly’s phone, Nicole called Dolls. “I’ll be there in 20 minutes. Put in a Ziploc bag if you have one.”

The two women made their way to the loft apartment. Placing the note in a bag, Nicole put on some coffee while Waverly went to the bathroom. Nicole dropped the coffee pot when she heard Waverly’s scream and then yell, “That fudge nugget son of bitch!!!!!” Nicole ran to her to find what had set Waverly off.

Drawn on the mirror with Waverly’s lipstick was a large heart with both names written inside. “He’s been in the house!” Waverly declared angrily, “Again!” Nicole steered Waverly back toward the living room. Turning, something in the bedroom caught her eye. “Oh shit!!!”

Waverly turned in the direction Nicole was looking. Scattered on the bed were rose petals. In the center was another note. Nicole retrieved it.

_You didn’t have to leave. I would have greatly enjoyed the show._

Nicole handed it to her girlfriend. Reading it, Nicole said, “He knew. He knew why we left. God, how many times has he…..”

“Don’t think about, Nicole. We can’t.” She wrapped her arms around the red head and led her back to the kitchen to put the other note in a bag. “If we let him in our head, baby, he wins. I’ll be damned if I let him win.” She squeezed Nicole’s hand. “I’ve let people like him ruin my life for so long that I almost missed the best thing life had to offer me…..you.” Nicole smiled at her rubbing her thumb over Waverly’s hand. “I’ve got you and I’m not letting go….ever."

Nicole pulled her around the bar to stand between her legs. Waverly held Nicole’s face between her hands and placed a gently kiss on her lips. She could feel Nicole relax as she slipped her arms around her waist. There was a knock at the door interrupting their tender moment.

Waverly opened the door to let Dolls in. Looking at the counter, he now saw two bags. Raising an eyebrow, he looked at the two women. He quickly assessed they had had sex since both heads of hair were messy and Nicole’s shirt only had a couple of buttons holding it closed. Nicole noticed him staring at her shirt. Looking down she blushed and pulled it together tighter.

“Where’d you find the other?” he questioned.

“In the bedroom,” Waverly pointed out leading him there to show him both rooms.

He quickly called Jeremy who was not happy about being called so early in the morning. Dolls examined the scene. “So, where were you two at?” he asked with a furrowed brow. “I thought you found the note going to work.”

“Uh, well,…..” Waverly stammered.

Nicole was blushing so badly her skin was the color of her hair. “Yeah, uh….we…uh…” pulling her shirt tighter.

“Went for a drive.” Waverly chimed in.

“A drive?” Dolls asked with a grin spreading across his face.

“Yes, Dolls,” Waverly chirped. “A ….uh…much needed….drive.”

“Yeah. Okay,” he said now laughing at the two. Turning serious again, he replied, “So, he didn’t appreciate…..the….drive?”

“Apparently not,” answered Nicole.

___________________________________________________________

The two were late to work….again. By the time Jeremy and Dolls were finished, it was almost mid-morning. Nicole had called Wynonna to get coverage for her shift while Waverly called Chrissy. As Dolls was leaving, Nicole’s phone rung. It was the hospital. “Dr. Haught,” she answered. “Oh, uh, Chief Nedley. What can I do for you?”

Hearing this, Waverly stopped Dolls. “We may need to do some intervention. I have a feeling this isn’t a social call.”

Hanging up, Nicole didn’t look happy. “So, I’ve been called into Nedley’s office. He wants to know what’s going on because apparently my performance has not been up to par. He went on to say that if my personal life was going to interfere with my duties at the hospital then other arrangements might need to be made.” Waverly could tell that Nicole was fighting to hold back the tears of anger. Being an ER doctor was her dream. She had worked her ass off to get where she was and this shit ticket of a stalker was now threatening that.

“I’ll go talk to him,” Dolls said. “You’ve had enough to deal with this morning. Plus, I don’t think he would appreciate you showing up in…..uh…..” he pointed to her shirt which was gapping open leaving little to the imagination.

Nicole once again grabbed her shirt and pulled it around her. “This was my favorite shirt,” she whined.

Waverly giggled. “Come on, babe. Let’s go …….do what we gotta do.” Waverly led her back into the apartment. “You know, I can always sew more buttons on….or put on new snap ones so it’s easier for me to…get you out of it,” Dolls could hear Waverly suggest as they walked away.

_______________________________________________________________

Nicole went in for an evening shift while Waverly headed to her office. Nicole was in the ER going over charts when Chief Nedley walked up to the desk area. “Dr. Haught, may I have a word, please.” Handing the chart to the nurse, she followed him down the hall and upstairs to his office. Closing the door behind them, he motioned for her sit. “So, I received a visit today from a Det. Dolls.” Nicole nodded. “Interesting story he told me.” Nicole said nothing. Nedley folded his hands and leaned forward on his desk. Nicole waited anxiously for his next words. She was terrified he was going to dismiss her. She stared down at her sweaty hands and rubbed them nervously on her scrubs. “Dr. Haught, Nicole.” She looked up at him stunned that he used her first name. “I had no idea. I wish you had come to me, especially about Champ.”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I thought I could handle it on my own, sir.”

“No one should have to handle that…or any of the crap you and Dr. Earp have been through. I’m sorry.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said quietly.

“Nicole, you are a damn fine doctor. Probably my best. It shocked me when you started missing work so much. I jumped to conclusions that it had to do with your relationship with …..Waverly.”

“It sort of did, Chief,” Nicole admitted.

“Yeah, but not what I expected. Not the way I had experienced other fraternizing between co-workers. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. I'm sorry. I should have just talked to you about it instead.””

“It’s okay,” Nicole said. Nedley nodded. 

“So, the detective said you needed some time off. I’ll get that worked out for the next two weeks. Your leave starts tomorrow. Get out of town. Do what you need to do so you can get your ass back in here and be the doctor I know you can be.”

Nicole smiled. “Thank you, sir. I….I really appreciate …all you’re doing to help….” she choked back the tears not wanting to get emotional in front of her superior.

Dr. Nedley stood and came around his desk. “May I?” he asked opening his arms. Nicole nodded as the tears began to fall. She allowed the burly man to pull her into a hug. “Good luck, Nicole.” Nicole nodded wiping the tears. “Now, go finish your shift.”

_______________________________________________________________

Tucker once again entered the bar. He found Champ on a stool chugging a shot and motioning for the bartender to get him another. Tucker slid in beside him. He ordered nothing. “This had better not be a waste of time again, Chammmpppp. Or that little video might just find its way to the internet.”

Champ turned his head and glared at the man beside him. He hated being beholden to people. He hated being told what to do. That’s one reason he became a doctor so he could have authority, dictate what others needed to do. But, Tucker had the video from frat party that could ruin him and basically send him to jail.

“They're leaving….for two weeks,” he answered chugging another shot.

“To where?”

“Not exactly sure. I did hear one of the nurses ask her but she refused to tell. Just said that she and her girlfriend were getting away for a while.”

“Both of them are going?” Tucker asked keeping his head down.

“Yes.” Champ indicated for another shot. “They apparently leave tomorrow because that’s when Haught’s leave starts.”

Tucker spun on his stool and leaned close to where only Champ could hear him. “Find out where or the video goes viral.”

Champ gripped his class to keep from slugging the bastard as he walked away. He had to find that video and get rid of it or Tucker would forever hold it over his head to do his bidding. Champ threw down enough to cover his tab and left the bar. He’d be up all night trying to find out where those damn women were going.

________________________________________________________________

Nicole and Waverly packed their bags and sat them by the door. Nicole had already been by her apartment to get the rest of her camping gear, so all they needed to do was finish loading the truck with what was at the loft.

Jeremy had been running the loops from the cameras to hide their getaway plans and packing. They left the food. It would easier to just pick some up on the way. They packed only what they would need for at least two weeks. They had made a deal, however, that if roughing it became too much for Waverly, they would find a motel and hide there until Dolls said it was safe to come home.

As they threw their bags into the truck, neither women noticed Champ standing in the corner of the park just up the street from the parking lot. Opening his phone, he called Tucker. “They’re leaving. Looks like they are going camping or something.”

“Good, boy. Which way are they headed?”

“North, looks like,” Champ answered watching them pull onto the highway.

“Follow them until I catch up.”

“Damnit, Tucker! I’m not your errand boy! Plus I have to go to work,” Champ said through clinched teeth as he headed toward his own vehicle.

“Well, you should have thought about that before you fucked an unconscious girl at a frat party, CHAMP!”

Champ hung up and threw his phone across the passenger seat. Pulling out, he followed Nicole’s truck. Tucker never called to say he had caught up.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Waverly and Nicole finally make it camping. Tucker and Champ finally have a face-off and Jeremy is success in his detective work!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So now that Nicole and Waverly are actually alone in the woods, I thought we needed a little bit of WayHaught smut. Enjoy!!

Nicole drove two hours before pulling into a grocery store. Waverly and Nicole chose food and picked up other things they would need on their little excursion. They would only be about a 30 minute drive from the store, so if they needed anything else they could always come back, she had explained to Waverly who was still skeptical about the whole camping idea.

Nicole pulled into the vacant parking lot. It was the middle of the week so no one was there. Plus it was the off season even if the weather was still nice, which made it even more deserted. The women loaded their things and headed off down a path that Nicole knew well. It had been a year since she had been to her favorite camping spot. She was eager to share it with her girlfriend. She just hoped Waverly liked it as much as she did.

It was about an hour’s hike to the clearing beside the river. As Nicole threw down her packs, she noticed Waverly taking in the view. They were at the edge of the woods lying against the river bank. The birds were chirping and slow moving water was a bluish green with the sun reflecting off the surface. Waverly let her pack slide from her back. “Wow, Nicole, this is beautiful.”

“Yeah, it is. Almost as beautiful as you,” she said walking over and taking Waverly into her arms. “I’m glad you like it. It’s one of my favorite places to be. Whenever I needed to be alone, I would drive up here and spend the weekend.”

“You really like this kind of stuff, don’t you, baby?” Waverly asked watching a peace fall over Nicole’s face, something she hadn't seen in the past couple of weeks. 

“Yeah, I do. I’ve actually missed it,” she admitted.

“Why did you stop coming?” Waverly asked brushing a damp strand of hair behind Nicole’s ear.

“I don’t know. I guess, I got caught up in other things,” she shrugged.

“I get that.” Standing on her tiptoes, she placed a kiss on Nicole’s lips.

Before the kiss could deepen, Nicole pulled away and placed a kiss on Waverly’s nose. “Ok, baby, let’s get camp set up before it gets dark.”

Waverly saluted Nicole as they began to unpack their things. Waverly knew enough about camping to know they would need a fire. So she constructed a small pit and went in search of firewood as Nicole set up their tent. In just over an hour, their camp was made and they had settled in cuddling by the fire. They roasted hotdogs and s’mores enjoying the quiet and each other’s much needed company. They were both exhausted as they crawled into the tent and snuggled into a double sleeping bag.

Waverly woke to find herself alone in the tent. She sat up looking around. The entrance was open and she could see Nicole by the fire. Waverly crawled out and stretched. “Good morning, beautiful,” Nicole said admiring the Waverly’s body as she stretched and her shirt raised showing her muscled midriff.

“Morning,” Waverly yawned and kissed the top of Nicole’s red head.

“I hope you’re hungry. I made us a kind of omelet with coffee,” she said flipping the egg. ‘

“Wow, who knew you could have omelets camping,” Waverly grinned as Nicole handed her a plate.

“I told you camping with me is totally different than regular camping,” she answered as she slid the rest into her own dish.

Waverly sat cross legged beside Nicole. “This is really good,” she said stuffing her mouth.

“I have many skills,” Nicole grinned back.

“So cocky,” Waverly said shaking her head at Nicole.

They finished breakfast and Waverly watched as Nicole took the dishes and washed them in the river. When came back up to the camp, Waverly asked, “So, Nicole, babe, please don’t take this wrong, but, uh, how, uh, or rather where am I gonna to take a shower?”

Nicole grinned. She knew Waverly was not going to like the answer, but she had other plans besides a shower slash bath in mind. Nicole pointed toward the river. “You’re kidding?” Waverly asked eyes wide.

“Nope,” Nicole said raising her brows mockingly.

“Nicole! That water is ……..not a bath!” Waverly exclaimed.

“Waves, trust me. You’re gonna love it,” she said.

“But, Nicole, what if….someone….” she motioned to the area around them, “sees us?”

Nicole cocked her head to side as if say ‘really?’ and Waverly shrugged her shoulders. Nicole took Waverly’s hand and led along the river bank. “Let’s take a walk and we’ll decide about the river bath later,” she smiled. 

“You just want to get me naked, Dr. Haught,” Waverly said playfully as they began walking along the river's edge. 

“Not a bad idea, Dr. Earp. I can play doctor and check your pulse……right…..here,” she said pulling Waverly against her and finding that sweet spot just under Waverly’s ear that drove her crazy. Waverly leaned her head back offering her neck to Nicole. “Screw the walk. I really do want to get you naked,” Nicole said bending down and throwing Waverly over her shoulder. Waverly squealed as Nicole walked back to their tent and sat the brunette down. Waverly barely had time to catch her breath before Nicole captured her lips in a crushingly wet kiss. Her tongue teased Waverly’s as she explored her lips and mouth then made her way across her jawline and down her neck. Nicole broke away and turned Waverly toward the entrance of the tent. “In,” she said giving her a shove. Waverly wasted no time crawling in and removing her boots. She barely pulled the last one off when Nicole straddled her lap and continued what she had started outside. A low moan escaped Waverly as Nicole ran her hands up Waverly’ s sides and palmed her breasts.

Waverly’s hands glided over the muscles in Nicole’s back pushing her shirt up. Nicole pulled her shirt over her head and cast it aside. Waverly stared in awe at the beautiful red head in the lap. “You are so beautiful, Nicole,” Waverly said ghosting her fingers along the red head’s abs watching the muscles twitch as her fingers moved. Waverly placed her mouth at the edge of Nicole’s bra cup. She slowly ran her tongue along its edge before nipping with her teeth leaving a mark and gaining a hiss from Nicole. “Off,” Waverly said biting at the lacy bra. Nicole unhooked and slid it over her shoulders. Waverly cupped the perfect breasts in her hands running her thumbs over the taunt peaks. Nicole watched with eyes dark with lust and passion as Waverly took a nipple and began to suck. Nicole wound her hands into Waverly long dark mane and held her close.

Moving to the other breast, Waverly smiled as she lifted the mound and began to suck the underside of Nicole’s breast leaving a bruise. She moved back to the other and did the same. “Matching,” Waverly said once done.

Nicole growled and seized Waverly’s lips. The kiss was hungry and wet as Nicole used her body to push Waverly down. As Nicole’s mouth made her mark on Waverly’s neck, her hips ground into Waverly’s. Wrapping her leg around Nicole’s, she quickly flipped their position. As soon as the smaller woman was on top, she shed her shirt and bra. She needed to feel the heat their skin created when it touched. Nicole’s hands were everywhere and it still wasn’t enough for the girl on top.

With hurried movements, Waverly slid her body down to where she could undo Nicole’s jean shorts. Nicole felt the need to do the same, but she was stopped. Before Nicole had a chance to make a move, Waverly’s face was between her legs and her tongue tasting Nicole’s wet, hot core. Nicole nearly climaxed right then and there as she could only manage a guttural moan and her hands tightly gripping the sleeping bag. She raised her hips and cried out when Waverly nipped at her clit before catching in her mouth and circling it with her tongue.

Waverly herself was about to fall over the edge. The taste of this gorgeous woman beneath her, the sounds she was hearing from the pleasure that once terrified her, and love she felt for her was enough to make her climax. She wanted them to cum together. While her mouth continued to work on her lover, her hands undid her own shorts and shoved them down. She crawled back up taking one of Nicole’s hands and placing it between her legs. Nicole nearly came apart right then and there. “OH, sweet Jesus,” she heaved feeling how wet Waverly was for her.

As Waverly rode Nicole’s fingers, she used her own on Nicole. While her thumb stimulated the clit, she used two fingers to slide in and out of Nicole’s slippery opening. Her other hand pinched at Nicole’s perky nipples. “I’m….almost……”

“I know, baby,” Waverly gasped. “Together, baby,” she managed to say.

And that they did. The orgasm raked their bodies from head to toe. Muscles contracting around their fingers. Juices flowing over their hands. Waverly collapsed on top of Nicole. When Nicole removed her fingers, Waverly lay down beside her throwing an arm over her waist.

“Holy shit, Waves,” Nicole exclaimed breathlessly.

“Yeah….wow,” she said between breaths.

“Wow…doesn’t even come close, baby,” Nicole smiled happily pulling Waverly against her. 

_______________________________________________________________

Champ was furious as he sat at the bar. Not only had he followed the two women to the boonies, but Tucker neither called nor showed up. He was done. He was going to make Tucker delete the stupid video and be through with all of his crazy shit. Throwing back his fourth shot of whiskey, he felt someone nudge him. Swinging around on his stool, his eyes found Tucker walking away and heading to the bathroom.

Champ made his way through the crowd and followed Tucker through the bathroom door. As soon as he was in, Tucker closed and locked it.

“You finally decide to show up, you piece of shit?” Champ growled.

Tucker just raised an eyebrow not impressed with Champ at all. “So, where did they go?”

“You were supposed to catch up and follow them yourself,” Champ slurred.

“Now, why would I do that when I have you to do it for me?” Tucker sneered at the drunken man.

“How do I even know you still have the damn video, Tucker, huh? How do I know?” Champ yelled as he lost his balance flailing his arms toward Tucker.

Rolling his eyes, Tucker pulled out his phone. In just seconds, he had a video of Champ with his pants around his knees pumping into an unconscious blonde on a bed in the frat house. “You can’t even tell it’s me,” he whined.

“Keep watching,” Tucker sneered.

The camera began to move showing focusing on the face of the girl and then on Champ's. Champ’s body pumped harder and soon he roared with his climax and all the other frat boys cheered. Tears clouded Champ’s eyes. He had been so drunk that night. So drunk that he hadn’t even realized Tucker was filming. He had no clue until he got a text later with the video attached. He had been at the beck and call of Tucker ever since.

Tucker stopped the video. Looking back at Champ he saw his eyes were wet. “Oh, dry it up, Champ. You’re not sad over what you did. Damn, you bragged about it for weeks. You are only sorry you got caught with your pants down….literally.”

Champ lost all control. Between his drunken state and his anger, he had no control. He took a swing at Tucker who easily dodged. Champ stumbled into the wall. Regaining his balance somewhat, he swung another punch at Tucker. This time, Tucker grabbed his arm in deflection and shoved him against the sink. Champ hit his head against the mirror, shattering and cutting his head. He reached a hand up and felt his head. “You bastard! I’m bleeding!”

Tucker shrugged his shoulders. “So.”

This time Champ lunged at the other man with his whole body like a linebacker. Tucker once again deflected and shoved Champ as he ran by causing him to crash in to the bathroom door. As Champ used the door for support, he turned himself around. He was having trouble focusing through the blood running in his eyes. He made out Tucker standing near the sink. He made another a lunge. This time Tucker didn’t move. He braced himself and gripped the shard of broken mirror in his fist readying himself for the force of the man.

Champ never saw the shard, but he felt it as it pierced his middle and slowly ripped upward. His arms grappled at the other man’s shoulders in shock. He looked down to see the shard protruding from his abdomen and blood dripping onto the floor. He staggered backward in disbelief. Stumbling, he fell on the dirt bathroom floor. Tucker knelt down and looked curiously at the man bleeding in front of him. Feeling nothing, he stood and exited the bathroom.

_________________________________________________________________

Dolls had gotten the call around midnight. There had been a murder at one of the local bars. His shift was already over, but something in his gut told him he needed to be at this crime scene. When he got there, he was shocked to find the body of one Champ Hardy basically gutted and dead on the bathroom floor of the bar. The crime lab guys had already been working and had found prints on the shard sticking out from Hardy’s abdomen. Hopefully there would be match. There was also a shoe print in the blood. 

Dolls was bent over examining the body when his phone began to ring. He thought about not answering, but when he saw it was Jeremy he quickly thought better of it. “Dolls,” he answered.

Jeremy was excited when answered. He was talking fast and loud. “Hey, Dolls! I got it! I got it!”

“Jeremy, what the hell have you got!?” he demanded.

“The address!!!” he replied. “I finally got the address for the cameras!”

“What, Jeremy!!!?? Calm down and tell me what you are talking about!”

"Oh, sorry. So, I've been trying to trace the IP address for the feed from the cameras in Waverly's apartment. It has bounced all over the place, but I finally managed to narrow it down to specific physical address."

"And?" Dolls asked. 

“And.....It’s a Tucker Gardner,” Jeremy said.

“What do we know about him, Jeremy?” Dolls was thankful he hadn’t said Champ Hardy. They would have been totally screwed. It would be hard to convict a dead man.

“Apparently, he is spoiled rich kid living off of Daddy’s money and a huge trust fund. He and Champ Hardy also went to college together where they were actually frat brothers.” Jeremy paused to take a quick breath then continued. “He has an IT degree. Oh and get this, he’s had multiple harassment complaints filed against him....all from women.”

“Good job, Jeremy. Send me that address and have some units meet me there,” Dolls said as he headed to car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Tucker has now gone from jerk to stalker to killer. What does that mean for Nicole and Waverly? So glad you are hanging in with me. Thanks for all the comments and kudos!!!


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dolls finds Tucker's house and discovers his obsession. Is it Nicole? Waverly? Or both?   
> Waverly and Nicole think they are safe camping, but we soon discover they are not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes....there is more smut.....I have to finish the bath comment from earlier.....

Back as his house, Tucker was hacking into Champ’s GPS since the dipshit was too drunk and stupid to give him the location of the women. Within in minutes, he had the directions. He packed a backpack with necessary items and was out the door heading to their campsite in less than 30 minutes.   
_____________________________________________________________  
Dolls waited on backup with a warrant before going into the Tucker Gardner’s home. Gardner had managed to beat the system too many times already. He wasn’t about to get away again. When backup arrived, he checked the warrant the Jeremy handed him. When no one answered the door, they entered. The front rooms looked normal enough. But, what was found in the back bedroom was far from it. “Detective, you better come see this,” one of the officers called out.   
Dolls along with Jeremy stopped short at the door stunned at what was before them. On one side of the room were multiple monitors showing the rooms at both women’s homes. Jeremy saw where the ones at Waverly’s were still on loop. Under the desk were shelves filled with vidoes labeled with dates. The dates ranged for at least two years. The other walls were covered in photographs of the women. One wall held nothing but photos of Waverly, while another held only Nicole. The wall between them were photographs of the women together.   
The men stood and studied the walls. Jeremy was the first to realized there were more of Nicole than of Waverly. “Hey, Dolls, look at these. These are older photographs of Nicole. Her hair was different. So is the background.”   
“Interesting,” Dolls said as he noticed what Jeremy was describing. “I see what you mean. Most of Doc’s shots are more recent and at her residence.”  
Jeremy moved on to the ones where the couple were together. “These are new too. Look at Nicole’s hair,” he pointed out "it's shorter like it is now."   
“So, based on this, he has been stalking Nicole for quite some time. Waverly….is more recent.” Dolls thought for a moment. “Do you think he began obsessed with Waverly when they became involved?”  
“Yeah. Kinda looks like it,” Jeremy admitted.   
“But, that isn’t normal for a stalker,” Dolls thought aloud. “Normally a stalker wants them all to themselves, doesn’t want to share. But Tucker…..it’s almost like he have become obsessed with their relationship or something.”   
“Or could be it be that he doesn’t feel threatened by Waverly?” suggested Jeremy.   
Dolls thought for a moment. “To be honest, who knows what this sociopath is thinking. All I do know….I’ve got to get to them before he does.” Dolls started out the door to leave, but quickly turned back to Jeremy. “I want this search done by the book, Jeremy. Leave nothing unturned. I want photos and videos from all angles of this place. I want all those," point to the videos and pictures wallpapering the walls, "boxed and logged---all of them....Jeremy. I was his ass in a sling this time.”   
“Got it, boss!”  
__________________________________________________________  
Waverly and Nicole never left the tent that first full day except to grab food. They had been so deprived of one another it was like they couldn’t get enough. Whether laying or sitting, they were always touching. They relished in the fact that they were alone without prying eyes, pagers, or phones. It was just them in the quiet of nature enjoying every touch, every kiss, every glance that the other had to offer.   
It was dark. The crickets were chirping. The owls hooting occasionally. There was a light breeze that would rustle the leaves on the trees. The water gurgled as it flowed. Waverly was nestled in Nicole’s arms listening to the various sounds. Hearing the water, she once again thought of the bath she mentioned earlier that morning. “Hey, babe, you remember that bath I mentioned…..?”  
Nicole smiled. “Maybe.”  
Sitting up on her elbow, she gave Nicole a look to make her feel sorry for her. Nicole just raised an eyebrow at her antics. Then she asked, “Do you trust me?” Nicole asked.   
“Of course, you know I do, Nicole,” Waverly offered then quickly thought, “Oh wait, no…Nicole….not the river,” she whined.   
Nicole crawled out the tent completely naked and dug in her pack. Finding the eco-friendly soap, she reached in and pulled Waverly out as the poor brunette tried her best to convince Nicole bathing the river was not a good idea, and nether was being out in the open without clothing.   
Nicole pulled Waverly against her. With one hand around her waist and the other shaking the little bottle in front of her face, Nicole said, “Baby, trust me. You’ve never had a bath like the one I’m gonna give you.”  
Waverly wrapped her arms around the red head’s waist and smiled up at her. “Oh, Dr. Haught, you’re going to give it to me?”  
“Yep,” she said adding a pop at the end of the word.   
“Well, since you put it that way…..” she pulled away and led Nicole to the edge of the river where she stopped.   
Nicole sat the bottle on the edge of the bank and took Waverly’s hand. She led her out to an eddy part of the water where she then pulled brunette against her slick body. Waverly wrapped her legs around the red head’s waist since she wasn’t tall enough to touch the bottom like Nicole. Even in the water, they couldn’t refrain themselves. Waverly’s hands that were embedded in Nicole’s damp locks tilted her head back giving Waverly access to her neck. Waverly placed hot wet kisses up and down beginning their make-out session.  
When they were breathless and their skin began to prune, Nicole released Waverly to tread water while she retrieved the soap from the bank. Returning, Nicole poured a small amount in her hands and began to lather Waverly’s long mane. Waverly turned her back to Nicole who kissed her shoulders and neck as she lathered. When she was finished Waverly dunked under the water to rinse her hair. Next, Nicole poured more in her hand and worked her hands over Waverly’s body. Waverly felt the heat from Nicole’s hands massaging every inch of her. When she was done with her back, her arms were next. Finished with each one, Waverly slid them around Nicole’s neck holding her close and capturing her mouth once again. Nicole moaned as Waverly glided her body against hers. Nicole almost dropped the bottle when Waverly ran a free hand down her chest and over her breast.   
Smiling, Waverly released her and swam to where she could touch the bottom. Raising a finger out of the water, she motioned for Nicole to come to her. Taking the bottle from Nicole, Waverly poured some in her own hands before handing it back. She rubbed her hands together making a good lather. She started with Nicole’s neck and shoulders. “Stand up, baby,” Waverly instructed. Nicole planted her feet on the bottom. The water was just under her breast while it still covered Waverly’s.   
The brunette moved her hands over Nicole’s chest teasing, but not touching her breasts. Nicole bit her bottom lip in anticipation as she watched her girlfriend. Waverly bent her knees making her shorter and her face level with Nicole’s breast. Grinning at the taller woman she slid her hands around to her back and took one the red head’s nipples in her mouth. Nicole gasp and arched her back trying to find Waverly’s hips to grasp with her free hand. When Nicole finally managed to hold on to the slippery brunette, Waverly moved her head to work on the other breast while her hands massaged her girlfriend's firm ass.   
Nicole almost dropped the bottle again. She finally gave it a toss toward the bank not even noticing where it landed. All she had on her mind was what Waverly’s hands and mouth were doing to her. Nicole could stand it no longer. Bending her knees, she caught Waverly around the waist and hauled her back to the deeper water. Holding her with one hand, she slid her other between their bodies and then between Waverly’s legs. She ground her hand over Waverly’s clit before sliding two fingers inside her. While her fingers pumped in and out, Nicole lifted her higher so her breasts were out of the water and in perfect position for Nicole. . Nicole wasted no time in nipping and sucking Waverly’s perky mounds.   
Waverly helped Nicole keep her lifted by propping her arms on the taller woman’s shoulders. This brought Waverly closer to Nicole so that she could capture the other nipple. The slippery friction between their bodies was driving them both mad. Waverly could feel herself slipping farther and farther into ecstasy. She was close, so damn close. Nicole moved her mouth to the sensitive spot she had found above Waverly’s breast. After a quick nip, she settle her lips and tugged leaving a mark. The feel of Nicole’s lips and her hand between her legs finally sent her spiraling. “Nicole,” she called out as she buried her face in Nicole’s neck and drowned in the spasms flowing through her body.   
Nicole held her tight and savored the feel of the woman she loved as the pulses calmed and Waverly’s body began to relax. Nicole turned her head and placed a kiss on Waverly’s temple. “You okay, baby?” she whispered.   
“You….can…give…me… …river…bath…any time…” she said between ragged breaths.   
“Told you you’d like it,” Nicole giggled and started to carry them toward the bank.   
“Sooooo cocky,” Waverly said nipping Nicole’s earlobe.   
“Yeah, but you love it,” Nicole said setting Waverly on her feet in the water.   
“I love.... you, Nicole” she smiled.   
“And I love you.... Waverly Earp.”  
As the two waded through the water to the bank, found the bottle of soap, and headed back to the tent, neither were aware of the eyes watching in the moonlight from the trees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Tucker even know who his target is?????


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker has found them and he's not happy.

Nicole was the first to wake. She gently maneuvered herself from under Waverly and slipped into her clothing and boots. She slowly unzipped the door the of the tent and slid through leaving a gap in the zipper. She pulled herself upright and stretched her long arms above her head before bending down to grasp her ankles pulling herself down to stretch her back and legs. She thought about a quick run but decided against it since she was already starving. She headed off into the woods to gather some wood to start a fire.

It didn’t take long to gather enough. As she headed back toward camp, she noticed the forest was quiet this morning which was unusual. As camp came into sight, she was grabbed from behind a cloth covering her mouth and nose. Dropping the arm full of wood, she sucked in a deep breath which was a huge mistake. Her head began to swim and eye sight began to fade to black. She tried to grab the arms that held her, but her strength was dissipating quickly. As her strength lessened and her knees started to buckle, she heard a voice in her ear, “Don’t fight it. I’ve got you.” The world turned black.

_________________________________________________________________

Waverly yawned and reached for her lover only to find an empty spot. She sat up brushing her hair from her face. “Nicole?” she called out. She heard nothing, not even the birds. She pulled on her clothing and moved toward the zipper exit. She was halfway out the opening when she noticed Nicole sitting across from her with a tear stained face and hands behind her back. “Nic….” was she managed to say before something from the left caught her eye. It blasted the side of her head. She never knew what it was.

________________________________________________________________

Waverly was still unconscious lying on the ground beside Nicole but out of reach. Her hands and feet were tied. She tried to open her eyes but the brightness of the sun was almost blinding it. She tried to reach up to touch the tender side of her head, but soon she realized her hands were behind her back…tied. She moaned as her head throbbed. She heard Nicole whisper her name. “Nicole,” she managed.

“Yeah. Waves, I’m here.” Nicole had to whisper. She had no idea where the man was at the moment.

“What….what happened?” Waverly was trying to sit up. Finally she made it. She raised her shoulder to wipe the eye she was struggling to open. She hissed as her sleeve rubbed against the cut above her eye.

“It’s him. He found us,” Nicole whispered.

“What? How?”

“I…I don’t know. He hit you with a stick. Are you ok?” Nicole asked wanting to get a better look at her girlfriend’s head.

“Yeah, I think so. I…..Just a throbbing headache,” she mumbled. “Nicole, we gotta get out of here.”

“Yeah, I know. I’ve been trying to get out of these ropes, but he’s……they’re too tight and my wrists…..”

“Maybe we can untie each other,” Waverly suggested.

“Yeah, ok. Good idea.”

The two began trying to scoot to one another. They were almost there when Nicole saw him coming….”No…no…no…..” Nicole yelled as he grabbed her under the arm and drug her back away from Waverly.

Waverly turned to see what was happening only to have a dark swirling tornado hit her full force. She moaned and turned her head vomiting in the dirt. It was just like the hospital when she saw the aura there. It was him. Waverly clinched her eyes closed tightly trying to still her mind. Maybe if she didn’t open her eyes.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked. When she didn’t answer, he kicked her legs and yelled louder. “I said, what’s wrong with you?”

“You,” she managed to say before the tornado of blackness whirled again causing her to hurl another time.

“That’s not an answer!” he yelled kicking at her again. Spent, she laid back in the dirt looking at the sky trying to see something other than black hole.

“STOP!” Nicole yelled.

Turning to Nicole and squatting in front of her, he grabbed her by the shirt collar and hauled her closer to his face. “WHAT’S WRONG WITH HER?!”

“YOU!” Nicole retorted back angrily. “YOUR WHAT’s WRONG WITH HER!”

He stared into the eyes. He didn’t understand what she was talking about, but he could she wasn’t lying. “She sees auras….and yours…..makes her like this.”

He glanced between the two women trying to make sense of what the red head said. He finally shrugged and moved to the other side of fire pit. Nicole was still trying to wrestle her wrists free from the ropes. She could feel the blood wet and slick on her hands. The ropes burned as they twisted into the rawness. She didn’t care. She had to get free. She looked at Waverly still lying on the ground facing the sky. “Waves?”

“Stop talking,” the man growled.

Nicole glared at him, but didn’t stop. “Waves, baby. You ok?” she whispered again.

Waves gave a slight nod but said nothing afraid the hurricane in her head would start again. The man jumped up this time and headed toward Nicole. “I said, STOP TALKING!” he screamed as he backhanded Nicole across the face.

Her head twisted. She gasped at the sharp pain that spread across her face. Turning back around glaring at the man in front of her, she licked the blood from her lip. “See what you made me do!” he growled at her. “I don’t want to hurt you, but you leave me know choice!”

“Why….why are you even doing this? Who are you, anyway?” Nicole asked. She didn’t know where her bravery was coming from, but she was not letting it go. Both her and Waverly’s lives depended on it.

“You don’t remember me?” he asked seemingly hurt because she didn’t recognize him.

“What? No…should I?” Nicole looked at him strangely.

“Yes….” he said caressing her cheek which she quickly jerked away from his touch. He tried touching her leg. She kicked at him. He huffed and moved away again.

“I know you remember. You’re just not thinking clearly.”

“What? No….no I don’t remember you,” she declared.

“That night in the ER. You took such good care of me,” he explained. “I had been in an accident. My brain was bleeding and you fixed it.”

Nicole’s eyes went wide with recognition. “Tucker Gardner,” she whispered.

“See I knew you remembered,” he said smiling at her.

Nicole remembered that night. He along with a family who didn’t make it had been in a terrible automobile accident. He had severe brain damage causing a brain bleed and then swelling. He was in a coma for almost two months. She remembered some of the other doctors saying he was calling her name when he finally woke up. She never really knew why. Maybe it was because she talked to him in the ER while he was unconscious.

“I wasn’t the only one there that night. Why….why me?” she asked.

“Because,” he answered moving to squat in front of her again, “it was your voice that kept me grounded. That beautiful voice,” he said running his finger along the edge of her lips, “ and that red hair shining in the lights,”. He moved his hand to brush his fingers through the red locks. She jerked away.

___________________________________________________________________

Waverly had been working on her binds as she stared at the sky. She had managed to free one hand and then the other. When Tucker was focused on Nicole, Waverly used this opportunity to grab and throw a fistful of dirt at Tucker’s face. When he saw Waverly’s movements in his peripheral vision, he turned. All of the dirt filled his face and eyes. Nicole quickly reacted bringing her feet up kicking him backwards into the fire. His screams echoed across the forest.

Waverly quickly untied her feet and reached for Nicole. Not bothering to untie her, she helped her to her feet and they took off running into the woods leaving a screaming Tucker rolling in the dirt trying to put the fire out that had engulfed his upper torso and back.

They stopped, trying to catch their breath and so Waverly could until Nicole’s bleeding hands. Tucker’s screams had stopped. They needed to keep going. Looking back, they saw no sign of the man, so they headed off again. They hadn’t gone a few feet when Nicole screamed and fell to the ground. Waverly dropped to her knees trying to find the source of her girlfriend’s sudden change. She quickly found it. An arrow had pierced her left calf.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker has plans to kill them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the summary is short. I don't want to give anything away. Just know, I actually cried writing the ending of this chapter.

Waverly was so focused on Nicole and Nicole was lost in a fog of pain, neither of them realized Tucker was standing over them until his aura floated into Waverly’s line of vision. Without a thought, she turned her head which was a huge mistake. The blackness surrounded her, her stomach once again churned, and instinctly, she turned her body away from Nicole and dry-heaved.

Tucker was furious. Swinging the end of his crossbow like a bat, he slammed it into Waverly’s head screaming, “LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO TO HER!” Waverly’s head snapped back around. Her body falling limply to the dirt.

Nicole screamed watching Waverly fall. She tried to crawl to her, but Tucker grabbed her ankle and dragged farther from her girlfriend. She clawed at the dirt trying to pull herself away but the pain from her calf and Tucker's strength stopped her. Tucker, still angry and his anger growing, dropped her ankle, swung the crossbow once again hitting Nicole’s face. Nicole didn’t even feel the pain because she fell unconscious on the ground.

Tucker grabbed Waverly’s arm and dragged her to a nearby tree. Using new ropes from is pack, he tied her to the tree. As he worked, he mumbled to the unconscious woman. “It’s all because of you. I should have known better than to let you stay. I knew I couldn’t give her what she wanted sexually, but you could. It made her happy. But then….but then,” he pulled the rope tighter, “you had to take her and leave. I couldn’t watch anymore. I couldn’t see her pleasure.” Tying his final knot, he gripped her chin, “And now, since I can’t have her, neither can you.”

Throwing her chin to the side, he stood and looked at the red head near his feet. He stopped for only a brief moment before grabbing one of her arms and dragging her back to the camp.

__________________________________________________________________

“Nicole,” she could hear her name being called from somewhere in the darkness. She moaned as sharp pains radiated from her face and leg. She tried to open her eyes, but the heaviness seemed too much. “Nicole,” she heard again. But the voice….it wasn’t Waverly’s. It was a….a man’s. She felt herself being lifted into a sitting position. She couldn’t…she didn’t have the strength to sit up. She felt herself falling again…suddenly a searing pain exploded in her leg causing her to scream. “There she is…..” she heard when she was finally able to focus.

Opening her eyes, she saw Tucker. His shirt was gone. His pants blackened from the fire and smoke. His face was hideously evil looking…eyes were black, skin covered in black ash smudges and blisters along his hairline. She noticed large pussy blisters on his arms and shoulders. Her face involuntarily showed disgust.

“DO NOT LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, NICOLE!” he screamed grabbing her around the throat. That’s when she noticed the pain in her jaw. She couldn’t move it…her mouth…her lips…..he had broken her jaw with the crossbow. “Take a good look at me….I’m ruined. No one will want me now….because of YOU!” he growled.

Nicole was trying to calm her breathing. It was difficult since his hand was clinching and pinching off the air flow limiting the amount of oxygen she could take in. Between the pain, the fear, and lack of oxygen, she was spiraling again. Suddenly, he released her snapping her head back. She cried out in pain from her jaw.

She hung her head trying to get some semblance of coherency. She heard him moving around the camp. Slowly, she raised her head and saw him near Waverly. She was still slumped on the ground now tied like a calf at a rodeo. Her hands and arms were pulled behind her with them tied together behind her back. Nicole looked at her own restraints. Her hands were once again tied behind her back with feet tied together in front of her. She also had a rope leading from her hands to her feet keeping them bent. Tucker had made sure she would be unable to kick at him this time.

Tucker started kicking Waverly in the ribs abruptly. Nicole tried to call out, but only a moaned seemed to escape. She couldn’t open her mouth. Tears slid from her eyes both from pain in her jaw and fear for Waverly. He kept kicking the brunette, yelling, “GET UP, BITCH! WAKE UP!” each time he landing a kick to her midsection. Finally Waverly stirred. He stopped and kicked again making sure he roused her awake.

Feeling the pain in her ribs, Waverly tried to move away from whatever was causing the pain. She couldn’t. Moaning and calling out, she finally managed to open her eyes. She realized she was back in camp. “Nicole,” she whispered.

“DO NOT SAY HER NAME, BITCH!” she heard behind her. Instantly knowing it was Tucker and what would happen if she saw his aura, she quickly clamped her eyes shut again, but she continued to struggle to move away from him. “Oh no you don’t” she heard right before her arms and legs were pulled backwards. She screamed as she felt and heard her shoulder loudly pop as she was dragged by Tucker across the camp area. She felt the gravel and dirt dig into her side as Tucker dragged her to where ever he was taking her. She felt herself being spun in a somewhat half circle. When she stopped and opened her eyes, she was staring up into Nicole’s brown eyes. She could see her lover’s jaw swollen and black. Her lip was busted and bleeding. She was tied precariously unable to move like herself. “Nicole” she said faintly.

Nicole seemed to try to speak, but shook her head as if to say she couldn’t. Tear fell freely from Nicole’s eyes that were staring deeply into Waverly’s. “Nicole,” Waverly whispered again. Nicole’s eye’s shot up in fear. Tucker was behind Waverly. She quickly shut her eyes.

Tucker saw her shut her eyes. He clinched her chin in his burnt, blistered hand and growled, “OPEN THEM!”

“No,” she declared definantly.

“OPEN THEM!” he screamed again louder.

“NO!” she screamed back at him.

She felt her chin released but didn’t open her eyes. She knew she hadn’t heard him step away.

“Open them or I shoot her right now,” he growled in a low angry voice.

Waverly knew she didn’t have a choice. It was either open her eyes and get sucked up in the vortex of blackness or hear Nicole die. That wasn’t an option. Waverly opened her eyes. Before the blackness settled in, the last thing she saw was Nicole’s sad, brown, scared eyes. Once again whirlwind caught her up. There was nothing left on her stomach. Dry-heaves were all that was left. She lay in the dirt gasping, praying it would soon end.

Tucker watched her wallow in agony. He relished in the thought that he could affect someone that much. He didn’t care that it was painful. He embraced it. He savored it. But, it didn’t get him the effect he wanted from her. He wanted her watch as he tortured and killed Nicole. He wanted her to understand the pain that Nicole was about to endure was all because of her.

He moved to stand behind her. Kneeling he pulled her up to sit on her knees. Wounding her hair around her gnarled hand, he pulled her head back so he could speak directly into her ear. “Take a good look at her, Wav…er…ly.” He pointed her head in the direction of Nicole. “Take a real good look, because this will be last time you see her……alive…”   
Waverly sucked in a breath….”NO!” she said involuntarily.

“Yes,” he snarled. “And I want you to know….her death….is all ….because….of…..YOU!”

“NO! PLEASE!” she begged. “Take me…not her….please…Tucker…don’t kill her…you….you …..love her….right?”

Nicole nearly gagged when Waverly said that. Tucker thought for a moment before answering. “Yes…I do,…..but so do you…and we both can’t have her.”

Waverly’s mind was racing. She had training. She knew what she was supposed to say to people like Tucker. But, at this moment, her mind was blank. The most important time in her life and her damn mind was blank.

“Tucker….what if…what if we..share….” Waverly gulped at her words hating herself for thinking….especially saying them.

“NO, Waverly, we already tried that! You took her away!!!!” he yelled pushing her head forward pulling her hair that was tangled around his hand.

Tucker had a plan. He knew he couldn’t watch Waverly and still torture Nicole. He set up a camera behind Nicole facing Waverly and another behind Waverly so he could also film Nicole’s reaction to what he was about to do to her. He would have forever reminders of his triumph. He could watch them every day.

Waverly and Nicole sat staring at each other. Waverly moved her lips and silently voiced, “I love you.” Nicole wanted so badly to move her mouth. She needed to tell Waverly she loved her too. She tried so hard, but when she moved, pain shot through her face causing her to cry out. Waverly wanted to move to hold Nicole. She earned to touch her one last time. “I know,” she mouthed again. “I know.” Tears filled her eyes and flowed over her dirty cheeks. Nicole was her world. Nicole had brought her from the depths of loneliness and taught her how to truly live. And now, here they sat tied like pigs to the slaughter. But…they were together. And now...they would die together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't resist leaving you hanging. I hope you liked it. Thanks for all the kudos. I love the comments. It's not over yet!!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tucker wants to play a game. Who will survive?

Waverly felt Tucker behind her. “Let’s play a game.” She heard him load and lock the crossbow. Waverly jumped and let out a small scream when the arrow whizzed by her head and pierced the dirt beside Nicole.

“Damnit, Tucker! What are you doing?” Waverly yelled.

“I’m going to see just how close I can get without hitting her,” he calmly stated.

“What!? NO! You don’t want to do this. You don’t want to hurt her,” Waverly tried to reason.

Tucker squatted down to peer at Waverly at eye level. “You’re right. I don’t want to do this, but, you, Waverly, you left me no choice.” Waverly squeezed her eyes shut trying to block out the whirling blackness that was threatening. 

“Tucker, I…I ….but you love her, right?”

“Of course, I love her. She’s my world. But, you, you destroyed all of that. Now I can’t have her anymore….and neither can you.”

“But, Tucker…..” Waverly began as Tucker locked and loaded the crossbow again. This time, however, he didn’t look where he was aiming, he kept his gaze on Waverly. He just pointed and shot. Waverly whipped her ahead around when he heard a weird sound coming from Nicole. The arrow had ripped through her shoulder leaving a gaping whole.

“DAMN YOU, TUCKER!” Waverly yelled and fought against her bindings.

Tucker just smiled at Waverly. He then turned back to his crossbow. Waverly heard another click and saw another arrow graze Nicole’s hip before sticking in the dirt. “NOOOOO!” Waverly cried. “Please, Tucker. Please stop,” Waverly begged. “I’ll do anything you want, just please, stop hurting her.”

“It’s too late for that, Waverly. You had your chance. Now you both have to pay the price.”

“What? When? When did I lose my chance!?” Waverly was confused. Trying to get into Tucker’s head was too hard. He kept changing the rules. “Tucker, what did I do?”

“You took her away!!! You took her to the city!!! Then you took her away and I couldn’t watch anymore!”

“Tucker, I….I ….am…sorry….” she choked. She hated the thought of apologizing to this sociopath. But Nicole was more important. She had to save Nicole. “I didn’t know going away for the weekend was not part of the rules. I didn’t know.” Waverly thought quickly. “Tucker, if…if you tell me the rules…I promise….I’ll do better. I….won’t ….break them…..just please….let Nicole go….punish me…I’m the one who broke the rules not her,” Waverly pleaded again.

Tucker was quiet for a moment like he was thinking about her offer. But in the next instant another arrow came from behind her and tore through Nicole’s upper arm flesh, the very shoulder that was already mangled. “NOOOOO!”

“I’m tired of playing this game, Waverly. I think I’m done. Plus, I only have two arrows left…..one for you…and one for Nicole. Who should I kill first? OH, I know….Nicole. You get to watch her die knowing it was all your fault this happened.”

Waverly and Nicole held one another’s gaze. Tears flowing freely from both sets of eyes. Waverly’s heart…her soul…sitting across from her was going to die…and it was her fault. “I love you, Nicole,” said seeing nothing but Nicole’s brown eyes staring back at her. Nicole was in so much pain. She felt herself drifting in and out of darkness. She see Waverly watching her. Disregarding the pain, she moved her lips and mumbled, “I love you,” before losing consciousness and slumping forward.

“Nooooo,” cried Waverly. “Please, no.” Waverly dropped her head and sobbed. She waited to hear that final click of the crossbow. The world seemed to stop. Silence fell around the camp, or so it seemed. Waverly took a deep breath and held it…waiting….waiting for that final click that would end the life of her soulmate.

“HEY, JACKASS!” Waverly heard from somewhere to her left. BANG! A shot rang out. Beside her, Tucker fell to the ground with a gaping hole between his eyes. Waverly heard someone approaching as she fought to free herself from her restraints yet again. “Hey, Doc. I’ve got you.”

“Nicole,” she said pleading.

Waverly felt the ropes fall. She was beside Nicole in a flash. “Baby? Baby, please,” she said as she brush the hair back from her girlfriend’s face and lifted her head to assess the damage and to make sure she wasn't dead. Dolls handed her a knife to cut the restraints still holding Nicole while he radioed for a medvac. The two worked earnestly to stop the bleeding of the red head's wounds. She made no sound, no whimper, no movement as the two touched her. Dolls checked her pulse. It was weak, very weak. He got on the radio again. “WE NEED THAT MEDVAC NOW!!” The dispatcher replied it was 5 minutes out. Dolls hoped that it wasn’t too late.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole made it to the hospital, but does that mean she survives? Waverly is emotional mess with Nicole fighting for her life and Tucker's words flowing through her mind...it's all her fault.

The lights in the hospital room were dim. Waverly sat beside Nicole’s bed holding her hand that was still unmoving. The machines beeped constantly. She was exhausted, but there was no way she was leaving Nicole. She heard the door open. It was Wynonna. “Hey, Doc. I just need to check her vitals and everything.”

Waverly nodded. Even Wynonna was somber, something she had never seen before. “Hey, Doc?” Wynonna said. “She’s gonna be okay. She’s a badass. Plus, she’s got you pulling for her.” Waverly gave a weak smile and slight nod. Wynonna closed the door leaving the two alone with the dull beep of the machines.

Dolls stopped by every day. “Hey, Doc,” he said quietly opening the door. “How’s our patient?”

“Same,” Waverly said stroking Nicole’s hand with her own.

“You know, I can stay with her if you want….”

Dolls didn’t get to finish his sentence. “No! I’m not leaving her. She might…she might wake up.”

“Doc, I know, but you need a break. Go home, shower….”

  
"I said NO, Dolls. I’m not leaving her.” Dolls let it drop. He could see the determination on her face and knew she wasn’t budging. They sat in the silence. Waverly finally said, “Dolls….what if…what if…she hates me…when she wakes up?”

“What?”

“You know…what if she blames me for….all of this?” Waverly turned to face Dolls. Tears streaming down her face. “What if she hates me?”

Dolls got up and pulled her to him. She went easily into his arms burying her face in his chest with broken sobs. He let her cry. When the sobs finally began to subside, he said, “Doc, I don’t know what that little shit said up there, but I do know one thing….none of this….none of what happened up there is your fault. It is all Tucker Gardner. Every bit of it.” He took her shoulders in his large hands and pushed her back to look in her face. He lifted her chin and made her look at him. “Doc, you…..you didn’t do this…HE did. Both you and Nicole were his…victims.”

“But he said…” Waverly began trying not to break again.

“I don’t give a damn what he said. I’ve seen the two of you together. I know she loves you and you love her. I’ve seen the way you look at each other. She is NOT going to hate you. I promise.”

Waverly wanted to believe him, but Tucker’s words still lingered and echoed in her head. She wouldn’t be able to push them out until she talked to Nicole. She needed to hear it from her to know she wasn’t to blame for what Tucker did to her. Waverly nodded and sat back down in her chair. Dolls squeezed her shoulder and quietly exited. Waverly was once again left with her thoughts and those damn beeps.

_______________________________________________________________

It had been almost a week. The doctors had kept Nicole in an induced coma to give her body time to begin to heal and to help with the shock of the damage to her body. Her jaw was wired shut. The swelling had begun to dissipate but the bruising was still dark. The surgery on her shoulder repaired most of the damage to the tendons and muscles but she would need months of physical therapy to regain her strength and usage. Her hip wasn’t as bad. Just a few stitches there. Her leg? Nicole’s leg had the most damage. The arrow itself had torn muscle and tendons when she was shot. But with Tucker dragging her through the woods, the arrow had moved in all directions as it hit the dirt each time. Her leg muscles were now mangled. The doctors said even with physical therapy she might walk with a slight limp, not to mention all the scaring from the wounds.

Waverly was sleeping with her head lying beside Nicole’s leg. She thought she heard a moan and stirred. When she didn’t hear it again, she let herself fall back into the slumber of sleep. Just as she felt herself falling into the abyss, she felt Nicole’s leg twitch and another moan. Waverly jerked her head up and looked at the red head.

Nicole’s eyes were fluttering trying to open. With every move she attempted, a moan would escape. Waverly jumped to her feet and hit the emergency button, then she began talking to Nicole. “Baby. Nicole. It’s me, Waverly. I’m here, baby. You’re ok.”

Nicole was fighting so hard to escape the blackness. She could hear Waverly’s voice, her angel’s voice. But, the pain. It hurt to move. She couldn’t move. It was like she was tied down. Tied down? Tucker! Nicole began to fight. The pushed the pain aside. She had to get away from Tucker. She had to get to Waverly.

Wynonna came busting through the door. “What the hell!?”

“She’s trying to wake up!”

“Keep talking to her, Doc. I’ll go get Nedley.” Wynonna ran out the door leaving Waverly continue to talk to Nicole. Her heartrate was high. Waverly knew she had to get her to calm down. She stroked Nicole’s face and hair and explained they were safe, that she needed to calm down. “You’re safe, baby. We are safe. I’m right here by your side.”

Her heartrate was still erratic when Nedley and Wynonna came crashing back through the door. Nedley told Wynonna to have the shot ready. If they couldn’t get Nicole calm down, they would have to put her back under. Nedley called Nicole’s name and told her she was in the hospital.

Nicole could hear someone else talking. In the fog, she couldn’t tell who it was, but she knew it was a man. Tucker! Her panic increased. They were going to die.

Nedley took the syringe and inserted it Nicoles’ IV. She calmed almost instantly. They heard Wynonna exclaim, “Damnit, Haught.” Nedley said nothing. He knew Wynonna really cared about the doctor lying in the bed, as did he. Taking a deep breath, he turned to leave.

Waverly fell in the chair once again. Adrenaline had left leaving her once again exhausted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I'm giving the ending justice. Can't wait for all the comments.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicole finally wakes, but will she blame Waverly for what happened?

The hours ticked by slowly. Both Wynonna and Nedley came in more frequently to check on Nicole. There had been no change since she had tried to wake up earlier. Waverly had moved to the window. She stared out at the sky remembering the two lovers lying underneath the stars making love just a few days ago. The world, though chaotic, had seemed simpler then. Who would have thought this is where they would be now. Waverly wiped a tear from her eye as she thought about how much she loved the woman lying in the hospital bed. There was so much she wanted to say. So much she wanted them to do. If Nicole made it and she didn’t hate Waverly, the brunette was going to do everything in her power to make their lives complete and happy.

Waverly was lost in her thoughts and plans when she once again heard the machines sound different. Looking back at them, she noticed Nicole’s heartrate was up once again. Her body was twitching and moans were becoming more frequent. She raced to push the emergency button again. This time, she was going to fight like hell to keep Nicole calm. Waverly pulled Nicole’s wired hand to her mouth and kissed her palm. She called her name over and over. She explained they were free and safe. She begged her love to return to her.

Nicole could once again hear Waverly’s voice calling from the distance. She tried so hard to understand what she was saying. She heard her name. She fought the blackness, but the pain was still there. She fought to open her eyes. They were so heavy. She focused on Waverly’s voice calling her name. She heard the word safe. Were they safe? Then a male voice came. Tucker? No. She heard Waverly say Nedley. It was Nedley’s voice. Then another voice. Female. Clearer. Louder. “Damn you, Haughtpants. Wake your ass up!” Wynonna. She was safe. She was with them. She pushed herself through the fog. She willed herself to open her eyes. She heard herself moan. She tried to speak but couldn’t. Something was stopping her.

“Baby, don’t try to speak. You’re jaw is broken,” she heard Waverly say.

Broken. Tucker…..hit her.

Nicole thought she was nodding. She couldn’t be sure. Finally, she could see a faint light through the slits of her eyes. Blurry. So blurry. Shadows over her. Waverly touching her face, her hands.

“Come on, Haught. Open your eyes,” Wynonna barked from the distance.

“Nicole, baby, come on. Open those beautiful chocolate eyes that I love so much,” Waverly called.

“EW. Gross!” Wynonna gagged.

“Wynonna!” Nedley scolded.

  
“What!?” Wynonna shrugged innocently.

They were coming into focus. She could see Waverly. Her beautiful Waverly.

“There they are…my beautiful chocolate drops,” Waverly said with happy tears flowing.

Nicole moaned and tried to speak again. “No, Nicole, don’t try to speak.” Waverly instructed. Nicole batting her eyes trying to focus. She moved them to see Nedley and Wynonna standing around her bed. She tried to smile; she couldn’t. With her free hand, she reached up toward her face. Nedley stopped her and gently placed her hand back on the bed. “You’re jaw is broken and wired shut, Nicole. You can’t talk. Once you get woke some more, we’ll get you a board to write on. Okay?” Nicole nodded.

“It’s about time you woke, Haughtpants. I’m getting tired of seeing this one all the time,” Wynonna said pointing at Waverly.

“You love me and you know it, Wynonna,” Waverly said smiling as the tears continued to fall.

“UUGGG!” Wynonna said. Looking back at Nicole, she said, “Nice to have you back, Haughtshot. Pun intended.” Wynonna laughed at her own joke as she exited the room. Nedley just rolled his eyes.

“I’m going to go. I’ll be back in a little while to check on you. Try to take it easy. You just got you back.” Nicole nodded. “I’ll find you a dry board so you two can talk. I’ll bring it when I come back.”

“Thanks, Nedley,” Waverly said. Nedley nodded and left leaving the two alone.

Nicole looked toward Waverly and tears filled her eyes. She could still see the bruises on Waverly’s face and the scratches on the side of her head and arms. Waverly placed her hand on Nicole’s good cheek. Nicole tried to turn her head, but the pain was too much. Instead, she leaned her head into Waverly’s hand. “God, Nicole, I thought I’d lost you.” Nicole leaned harder against her lover’s hand. “I love you so, so much, Nicole.”

Nicole reached up her good hand and motioned for Waverly. Waverly felt Nicole’s hand slip around her neck and pull her close. Nicole rubbed her nose against Waverly’s before leaning their foreheads together. Wynonna found them like this when she returned with the board. “Jezzz…you guys, get a room already,” she snickered.

Nicole shook her head at her friend. Waverly just rolled her eyes. “Here. Nedley said to bring you this. Now you guys can do something besides make googly eyes at each other.”

Now that Nicole could communicate, she asked Waverly what had happened. Waverly explained, telling her that Tucker was dead. It was finally over. Waverly was quiet after this. She was waiting for Nicole to start blaming her. Nicole saw the shift in her girlfriend and inquired. “Nothing,” Waverly lied.

Nicole shook her head. “Liar,” she wrote.

Waverly didn’t want to upset Nicole, but she had to know. Now was as good of time as any. It wasn’t going to get any easier or better. “Do you hate me?”

Nicole’s eyes went wide with shock. “What?” she wrote.

“Do you hate me?”

“NO!” Nicole wrote in huge letters on the board.

“But, Tucker, he said…..it was my fault….” Waverly said as her voice slowly drifted into silence.

“NO!!!!” Nicole pointed again and again. She erased it. “I LOVE YOU!” She erased again. This time it took her longer to write. She finally turned the board around and allowed Waverly to read it. “When all that was happening, you were my rock. You, your love, that’s how I made it through. Don’t let that bastard make you think otherwise.”

Waverly sniffed and wiped a tear. “But….” Waverly started again. Nicole grunted loudly and shook her head angrily at Waverly. She erased her board again. “NO! I LOVE YOU! I could and never will hate you. You are part of me. You are my….soulmate!”

Waverly didn’t try to stop the tears. She sat on the bed leaning forward. Without a thought, she gently kissed Nicole. Although she couldn’t respond the way she wanted, she was able to lean in letting Waverly know just how much she wanted and loved her. It was that moment that Wynonna once again burst through the door. “AGAIN!?” she fussed. “Jezzz, you two are like rabbits!”

They both laughed. They were getting used to Wynonna constantly interrupting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Couldn't resist a little Wynonna Interruptus HAHAH


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue...Find out what happens in the end. ENJOY!

Epilogue

Standing in the backyard of their new house, Nicole and Waverly said “I do” surrounded by friends. Cheers sounded with they were pronounced married. Congratulations and hugs seemed to go on forever. The newlyweds didn’t care. This was their day and they were going to cherish it after all they had been through over the past year.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nicole couldn’t handle living in either of their apartments. They wound up staying in a hotel until they could find a new place…together. They needed a fresh start without all the reminders of what they'd had to go through. Nicole still had bouts with the idea of someone watching them. The nightmares had been worse though. They were finally, after a year and therapy, were becoming less frequent.

They had found a little house in a nice neighborhood just outside town. It was an older house, one they spent hours remodeling. The downstairs was an open concept with a huge kitchen and living area for entertaining their friends. The upstairs had two bedrooms. One of which Wynonna had declared hers for when she drank too much and couldn’t drive home, which was becoming more frequent.

They past year had been difficult for Nicole no matter how supportive Waverly had been. The physical therapy had been grueling. Nicole’s arm was scarred but had no real damage. Her leg was different situation. She did walk with a limp. She wasn’t able to run like she did which frustrated her to no end. The nightmares had left them emotionally exhausted. Waverly was finally able to convince Nicole to go to therapy. Since starting that, things had gotten better.

When their house was finished, they were giddy to finally have a place to call home. They settled in quickly and found their routine. One night Waverly came home to find candles lit and a nice dinner waiting. Not understanding the occasion, Waverly raised her eyebrow. “Did I miss our anniversary or something, babe?”

“No,” Nicole said taking her coat and briefcase and casting it on the floor. “Can’t I do something nice for you?”

“Yeah, of course. I just afraid I had missed something,” Waverly said pulling Nicole in for a kiss.

“Nope. You are good.” Nicole led her to the table and they sat down to enjoy their dinner. After dinner, Nicole turned on the stereo and asked Waverly to dance.

“Wow, Dr. Haught, you are really working it tonight,” Waverly said running her fingers around the back of Nicole’s neck playing the hair there.

“Well, I aim to please,” she smiled.

They held one another and swayed to the music enjoying the fell of their bodies close. “Hey, Waves?”

“Hmmm?”

“Ummmm,” Nicole pulled back and looked at her girlfriend.

Waverly could tell the red head was nervous but had no idea as to why. “What’s wrong, babe?” Waverly could now feel Nicole shaking and hear her breath come quick and shallow. “Babe, what is it?”

Taking a deep breath, Nicole reached into her pocket and bent down on one knee. Waverly’s eye’s seemed to bulge in shock. _Oh my God! This is really happening!_ She thought.

“Waverly Earp, we have been through hell this past year. But through all of it, you were there, by my side, my rock. I want to be there for you just the same, for the rest of our lives. Waves, you are my everything, my best friend, my lover, my soulmate. I want to wake up beside you every morning. I want to do everything with you. I want to grow old with you, have a family with you. Waverly Earp, will you marry me?”

Waverly stood unmoving for a brief a second, then she grabbed Nicole’s face and pulled her up placing a kiss on her lips before she even managed to stand. “So is that a yes?” Nicole smiled pulling away to catch her breath.

“YES! Yes, Nicole Rayleigh Haught, I will marry you and have a family with you and grow old with you! I really, really love you!”

Smiling, the two collapsed on the sofa and made love well into the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, thanks so very much for all the comments and kudos! I've had such fun with the story and talking with all of you. Hopefully another WayHaught story will be in future as I have some new ideas.


End file.
